Promises
by Queenbee19
Summary: Luke Castellan died a hero, saving everyone. Doing so, he hurt me. How was I supposed to move on from the death of the only person I could ever love...because he could love me. He promiesed me he loved me, that we would be together forever. He lied. Other half is writen by my #twinsoul Can'tBeatCandor and its called Deterred! Check it out please!
1. Promises

I decided to start writing about Tess. She is one of my favorite OC's, wait she is my favorite OC. In this universe, she is Luke's girlfriend. I have decided to put together a collection of pieces so that I can write a bit more about her. I decided to pick a very touchy start, Luke's death. The events of the Heroes Of Olympus series do not happen. Please review so that I can get better, I love constructive criticism so hit me as hard as you can. Thanks so much.

xoxo Queenbee19

* * *

Promisees. People have promised me so many things and as my world is crashing down on me, I come to learn all of them were lies. Love, is just a lie. Not everyone gets a fairytale ending, only the lucky ones do.

_"Luke stop!" I called out in tears, running towards the only person who I could ever love. Mainly because he could actually love me._

_But he turned on me, and slashed his sword into my delicate face. Normally I would have a fit about him hurting me, but it wasn't his fault. He didn't mean to hurt me right? He loved me._

_I fought him back, because I needed to put a stop to this madness before things got worse. I changed my mind I wasn't in with him 100% anymore. I didn't want to rule the world I just wanted to go back to how it used to be._

Staring at my wall for once I don't feel perfect. I feel like I did something wrong, something to make him stop loving me. Something to make him leave me. Everyone said he was a hero but I didn't care. He saved the world, but doing so he hurt me.

_I was at a standstill with my boyfriend, something I was only able to do when I was really focused. He was always a better sword fighter then me, don't get me wrong. But I wasn't terribly far behind._

_"Luke, please babe talk to me"I pleaded with him, hoping he could hear me. He never told me he was going to be completely possessed by Kronos. I think he just didn't want me to worry, but now that I knew what he was planning without me, I couldn't believe he didn't tell me._

_Hot tears rolled down my rose cheek as I tried to hold my own, and I knew it wasn't going to last much longer. Percy was watching us fight, and he wasn't moving. I could see Annabeth come up out of the corner of my eye but I stayed focused._

_"Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away was I assume my true form!" Kronos roared at me. You would think he would talk a little better to his great niece, but he didn't. But his words stung me, and left a scar. I wasn't going to listen to them, Luke would come around._

Someone knocked at my door, probably another person trying to confront me. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want confort I wanted Luke. Luke promised we would be together, he said he loved me. He said he would never leave me, and that I was his rock. How could he smash me down like this?

_"No Luke, I know your still there. Please, this isn't right. Your hurting me Luke" I said to him biting my lip as I fought back._

_Kronos made a face, like he was going to say something then decided against it. It was a familiar face, one Luke made. "Shut up Tess, your boyfriends gone get over it. I am taking over now." He said taking a final hit and nocking be backwards. I fell hard on the ground, but the pain was numbing. I was lucky I was immortal, because I was scared for a second he would consider killing me._

_So I cried harder, trying to push away the dark thought that Luke could actually be gone inside there. "You promised Luke, that you loved me and we would stay together through this. When you told me that day what you were doing I supported you Luke and you promised." I said, the last part barely above a whisper. I hoped I wasn't making a scene but I was desperate, if anyone was going to be able to get him back it was going to be me._

Mom said we were perfect for each other, her favorite couple since Helen and Paris. She said we were going to be together and get married and everything. She knew everything about love. I was supposed to be the most beautiful bride the world had ever seen. He was supposed to kiss my soft lips after he pledged that he would stay with me, through sickness and in health. Through rich and poor. He was supposed to say I do.

_Luke's face twisted for a second, and I could almost see the blue in his eyes that I loved so much. "Tess...I...I.." He said, but I could tell he was a bit disoriented for a moment, like he was just getting his body back._

_He scooped me up from the ground and kissed my forehead, and I gave him the tiniest smile back. Everything was fine, he was back. Luke was back . And he kissed me, the most lightestest kiss we had ever had. It was refreshing, yet tasted of sorrow of all we had been through the past few years. Those beautiful seconds were all I needed to feel better, then they were snatched away._

_Percy watched, looking angry that he was touching me, like he wasn't stable yet. He came up and took Backbiter from Luke's hands. Percy always had a petty crush on me, but we all knew his heart belonged to Annabeth._

_"JACKSON" Kronos boomed, turning on Percy and leaving me aside. Then Luke began to glow, a gold color. Luke's face became pained._

Someone came into my room, figuring out the password to the door. I put it there so people couldn't barge in at times like this, but I guess whoever came in didn't seem to care that I was bawling my eyes out. It had only been a month since he died and it still hurt like hell.

"Go away. I'm serious get out or I swear to Zeus I'll kill you." I said, grabbing my sword and turning to whoever came in. My vision was blurred from tears but I could tell it was my brother, he looked just like me. of corse denied our appearance similarity in public, I never asked for a twin brother and I sure didn't want one. Keegan was a d***.

Keegan chuckled coming over to sit with me on my bed and hugged me. "Look Tess I know your taking it hard but at least come to dinner, eat something. Everyone's worried."

"Well everyone can just go die in hole, their boyfriend's not dead." I said back sounding more bitter then intended.

"I know Tess, we all miss Luke."

"Not as much as me," I whispered, hugging him tighter. I think I got mascara on is shirt but I didn't care.

_"He's changing. Help. He's...he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please-"_

_It became blurry, what I heard was sinking in but I was too frozen to do anything. He must be joking about not needing his body, Kronos wouldn't destroy Luke. He couldn't do that to Luke, or to me. I thought I was going to puke._

_Kronos yelled out in protest, Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks, and then Annabeth handed Percy her knife. What were they thinking? I would not let them kill my boyfriend, if they tried I would rip them to shreds. But I felt so weak from keeping up with Luke, I wanted to pass out._

_Percy handed Luke the knife and Luke unlatched his armor showing a bit of skin, his Anchille's mark. I was about to go insane._

"He thought about me Keegan, when he was in the River Styx's he told me he was thinking of me." I whispered, shaking a little because the memories were all flooding back to me.

_"It was you babe" Luke said with his signature smile, taking a strand of my blonde curly hair and tucking it behind my ear with a grin._

_I smirked back, "Of corse it was me Luke, who else?"_

_He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me so close our faces almost touched. I could almost hear his heart beat. I moved and kissed my ear, smirking he whispered into them. "Your the reason I'm invincible Tess, your my rock."_

Precious moment with Luke I could never get back.

_A force hit us all as Luke howled, his eyes were glowing an an aura of energy was around him. The room shook, I barley kept my balance. Luke layed on the floor, with a black circle of ash around him. He was bleeding. I was frozen, paralyzed. His eyes were blue, but no longer dancing with the mischief they once were. It was silent._

_"Good...blade" Luke finally sad, but it was so quiet. His voice cracked me back as I ran over to himo n the ground hugging him so tight I think I was hurting him. But there was no way I was letting him go, he couldn't leave me, I must be dreaming._

"He loved you so much Tess." Keegan said to me, rubbing my back. I guess you could say this was the first touching moment we had had as siblings. I guess he wasn't all that bad. I never liked my brother, but private moments like this were when I could admit I loved him to myself. In the long run he was here for me.

"Loved. Past tense, German origin. When you used to love somebody. But now he's gone." I said back cooly, because he killed himself, I had no one to blame except him.

_"Luke this is all your fault! If it wasn't for you and this stupid war I wouldn't be hurt!" I yelled at him, crossing my arms and turning away. He made me practice fighting with him, because no one else here was at my level. He said he wanted me ready, so that I would be safe._

_He came from behind me and put his arms around laughing, "Relax Tess, its just a small cut. And your a daughter of Aphrodite you can make it look like it never happened._

_"So? It still hurts" I said back my perfect pink lips forming one of the most adorable pouts... I think ever. I was such a b**** to him sometimes, but I wasn't really mad._

_"Aw come on Tess your making a big deal out of nothing, your a strong girl and you know I would never really hurt you" He said honestly back, we were having one of the rare moments when we were alone and could show our feelings for each other without beinglabeled as over-romantic._

_"Luke...Luke no" I said burning my face into his chest crying. My heart just shattered into a million pieces. I was in denial._

_"Tess, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry what I did, but I had to do this Tess. Deep down I hope you can forgive me." He pleaded with me, desperation was swimming in his blue eyes. I said nothing._

_"Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it...Don't let it happen again." He said looking to Percy. He looked almost angry for what went down, but he was pleading with him too._

_"I won't, I promise" Percy nodded back._

_Luke turned to me and kissed my nose. The first time he ever kissed me was my nose. "I love you Tess...I always have and I always do. Please don't be mad at me. And I promise I will make it up to you one day." I whispered to me, and I think I saw a few tears as he watched me cry into his chest again for a moment. Another moment I wouldn't get back._

_I nodded, and whispered back that I loved him too, not no loud enough for anyone to hear. Then he took a breath, and I never heard an exhale._

Im sorry I whinned all the time

Im sorry I was such a b****y girlfriend

Im sorry we fought all the time

Im sorry I took your hat, and your shirt...and your jacket

Im sorry that one time I yelled at you for nothing

Im sorry for not giving you all my attention sometimes

Im sorry for not always being the best person

But Luke please come back to me.

"He died to save you Tess" Keegan said back to me. "You and I both know that if Kronos took over you wouldn't survive. He would kill you probably too."

"At least we'd be together" I said back, my voice even softer, as my memories stopped coming. "I'd rather be dead." I said miserably.

"Don't say that, Luke wouldn't be happy to hear that and he said he would make it up to you."

"Luke promised a lot of things."

"So be patient, there's always something bad before something good. There has to be balance. If something awful like Luke''s death happened, then something wonderful will happen. I promise." He said at an attempt to be encouraging for me.

But I never wanted to hear the word promise again. The promises that mattered were all lies. I promised myself one thing, that I wasn't going to be dumb enough to believe a promise ever again.


	2. Never Again

I could still feel him laying next to me. But now in my life, everything was all of the sudden different. I felt as if a part of me was gone, yet there with me everywhere I went. How does someone get over death? How am I supposed to feel now that he is gone?

I was standing. Everything around me was crisp color of pure white, The walls were white, with carved details of Greek paintings into them. There were white chairs in front of me, and people in white dresses and suits filled them. There were white pillars at the end of every row, with white Jasmine's around them. There were even white petals on the floor. The floors were glass and looking down, they were so shinny the sun from the absence of roof reflected on them, beaming pretty rainbow colors. But I could see my refection in those white floors, I was in a white gown.

It had extensive beading covering the top, in crystal white diamonds that shone like the glass floors did. Then the bottom was white and ruffled down all the way to the floor. My hair was curled, and out with delicate glass crown placed on my head, a thin white sheet was covering my face. I was holding white flowers in a white bouquet. Looking up, I noticed a face through the vail. He was wearing a white suit, with the cutest white smile I had even seen. I realised, this was my wedding that I would never get to have.

"Tess come on we're going out for breakfast and we've decided your coming!" I heard a voice in my dream, which was depressing, yet touching. I was pretty sure though, that Kaleb's voice was not supposed to be interupting my wedding. I moaned, and sat up as Kaleb came through my door.

Kaleb and I, we had been through a lot together. To be honest, I consider him my best friend. Even know he was annoying at times, I loved him. He was my first official boyfriend when I had first arrived at camp, and my first real kiss. Kaleb had always been there for me, and I was the one who dumped him. Another thing I was sorry for Luke, I'm sorry for being such a b***h to your best friend.

I put on a fake smile for Kaleb, deciding now Luke was gone I was going to try and be a better person. The girl I should've been for him. Maybe if I was better he would't of left me. Maybe his death was my fault.

"Fine fatty, whatever you want." I said getting myself out of bed and kissing his cheek. Two things, one me calling Kaleb fat was kinda our thing. It was an inside joke we had had for a while. An another thing, Kaleb had a girlfriend but would probably date me at the drop of a hat. I guess I had put him in the ultimate friend zone. I'm sorry Luke, for friend zoning your best friend.

Kaleb smirked, hitting my butt. Like I said we were flirty best friends, but at least on my side, nothing more. "Go get dressed, that's what I want" he said to me. But I knew he wanted more. One of those things was cheeseburgers. Kaleb had a weird infatuation with them, don't ask. Another thing he wanted, was to do it with me. But since Luke's death, everyone had been really nice being sensitive to my feelings, because this was hard for me and the last thing I needed was one of the many boys who trailed me in camp to try to steal my heart when it was already shattered. So Kaleb was getting neither of the things he really wanted, at least not from me.

"Fine, be that way!" I called to him teasingly, grabbing a pink towel as I went into my bathroom. That was another one of my lines, I had used a lot. Especially when Luke and I were fighting.

_"You know what Tess I have had it with you and your stupid whining!" He yelled at me in a mix of frustration, defeat, and exaushtion. He ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, that was starting to gray. I figured it was stress...but that didn't mean I was going go stop stressing him out. Pissing him off was my job, and I loved my job._

_"You know what Luke? Fine be that way!" I yelled back, storming away. I crossed my arms that were perfectly tan from tanning on the deck of the Princess Andromeda. If he wasn't going to help me then Kaleb was. I didn't need Luke. _

I made a playful face to mask my pain of reliving another memory of him, and me being a terrible person to him. "See you when I get out" I said with a wink. There would be none of Kaleb coming in with me. Those were the old days and now I was't sure where I stood with the concept of love anymore. I know I loved Luke and I thought that he loved me. But then did that love die with him?

_I was 11, and beautiful. I was probably the most beautiful child in Janae, no one could argue. Well, they couldn't argue because it was true, but also because who really wanted to argue with the princess of the richest country in the world?_

_My blonde curls were bouncing as I carried my shopping bags out of the American shopping centre me and my sister were at. Our dad, the King of Janae, had let us fly out because I saw the most adorable pair of shoes and I wanted them. And when one of his daughters wanted something, we got it. I wasn't really up for debate, I had saw them and within a 2 hours me and my older sister were on a plane flying to America. _

_I made sure my sunglasses were on, because I didn't want to be recognized. I didn't feel like being interviewed on why I was in America, I just wanted to get my shopping and then leave and go home to our castle. The problem was Aira had went outside the store a few minutes earlier and left me to shop, which was so lame because she was the oldest and she should've been looking out for me. There could've been kidnapper's inside and if there were, she was the one to fight them not me. But once I was done, I opened the back door of the store and I climbed down the steps into the back ally. I was pretty smart and figured our where Aira had left me to pretty fast. _

_"Aira?" I called out urgently, turning and walking to the left of the outside of the building. I was hoping she was just sitting around, being Aira. But I found her all right, In an ally holding a blonde boy at sword point. _

_The blonde boy was amazing, literally the most amazing guy I had ever seen. I thought I was in love. Like seriously, all of the crap about love at first sight was starting to feel so real to me. I swore I could hear angel's singing in the background and wait...were those wedding bells? He must've only been a few years older then me, and His hair was sandy blonde, like a warm beach. And his eyes were blue, dancing with mischief...though right now they looked like there was a bit of panic because a 13 year old girl smirked at him like she was about to kill him._

_"Woah woah Aira! What are you doing killing random hot guys on the street?" I asked her, delicately walking down the ally, making sure not to step on anything because, ew this was gross._

_Aira rolled her eyes, which were blue and striking like the ocean. "He tried to rob me Tess" she explained like she was complaining to me, then she turned back to the boy with a smirk._

_"No stop Aira!" I protested, my sister was violent. And I had no doubt in my mind she would kill the kid, I couldn't let that happen he was the most amazing boy I had ever seen. If he died, my heart would be broken. Even though I had only known him for like, maybe 30 seconds. _

I laughed, letting the clear water run through my hair from my swaorski crystal shower head. Being filthy rich had its upsides, like unneeded bling on anything you could imagine. Memories of my younger self made me smile, because even when I first saw him I was convinced we were getting married. Ok maybe it really was a 11 year old crush, like when a girl crushes on a singer of a boy band. But still, it was so sweet that I loved him from the beginning. When I still believed in true love, I called it destiny.

_Sitting down back in the ally which was still gross, The hot boy, Luke, exchanged glances between the two other girls he was with. One had spiky hair, she looked goth, she was Thalia. And the other was small blonde girl, with wise gray eyes, Annabeth._

_"How did you two?" Luke started in confusion, because moments before a huge, and I mean huge ugly looking beast came up and tried to attack us. Somehow Aira, Luke and Thalia fought it off. Annabeth looked like she didn't want to get in the way and me? I don't do fighting. Actually, I was the one who had suggested running in confusion. _

_"See the monster?" Thalia finished, making up for Luke's inability to complete his sentence._

_I turned my ice blue eyes to Aira, because I had idea's but I wasn't sure if I could mention them to anyone. We weren't just princesses of a country, we were special. I mean where to begin? We were super genius's was the most normal of them, Aira graduated at 9 years old, me at 9 and a half. And I guess on the less normal side, we were Cadets._

_What's a Cadet? Well its when a greek god or goddess, and a titan get together and then some magic happens and poof, a baby girl is born! We were more powerful then gods, but less then titans. I guess that was the other abnormal thing, our parents were from greek mythology, except it wasn't myth, they existed._

_I heard Thalia faintly whisper something to Luke, so I looked at Aira with an eyebrow raised. Aira sighed and took a breath._

_"Do you guys know anything about Greek gods?" Aira said quietly, and if they said no I figured she would take the comment back. But instead, all three of them looked at us surprised, until Luke smirked._

_"I knew it" He said crossing his arms in satisfaction._

_Thalia studied me, "Hmm...she's Aphrodite for sure." She said to me, and I gave a faint nod. I was like the most beautiful little girl ever right now, and it would've been an insult if she guessed anything else._

_"Ares?" Luke asked Aira, who shook her head with a smirk. You would never guess Poseidon for her. But the combination with Gaea made her vicious. Though I guess she was raised by Ares for a year I think so he had some of it correct. _

_"What about you two" Aira asked back_

_"Zeus" Thalia said sharply, in what I wasn't sure was disgust or hatred. Maybe she was impartial._

_"We don't know Annabeths, but we have an idea" Luke said for Annabeth, who was looking at her knife. "Hermes" He said in clear hatred. A daughter of Aphrodite with a son of Hermes, who would've guessed. I wouldn't of, but I was sure we we're perfect for each other._

I got out of she shower, wrapping myself in a towel and opening the door to go back into my bedroom, because my closet was on the other side of my room. Kaleb was still there and I smirked. "Creeping on my showering?"

Kaleb laughed, "What else" I guess he was probably here to make sure that I actually came out of my room. I had been sulking lately not wanting anyone to come in.

I crossed to my bedroom, grabbing a short tight black dress with a white and green ribbon, the color of Luke's shourd when he died. I came back out of the closet looking at Kaleb with a bored expression.

I could tell he wanted to compliment me, but then again he didn't know how I would take it. So he went with critiquing me. "You gonna do your hair or makeup?" He asked me cautiously. Usually being an daughter of Aphrodite, it was something I did on a daily basis. Since Luke's death I had no one to impress, and there for no reason to look hot.

"Shut up," I simply said back, but he had a point I had an image to uphold. I couldn't go around sulking forever, it had been a month. People we're probably expecting me to get over myself now.

I walked over to my makeover table, putting on black eyeliner and straightening my hair. I used my Aphrodite magic to add some black streaks to the tips of my hair and I smirked back, "Happy?"

Kaleb laughed, figuring my new look was actually sexy. But he said nothing grabbing my hand. "Lets do this then." Even know his hand grabbing was probably just a casual hand grab or whatever, it meant a bit to me. I felt almost strength from the grip if my best friends hand for me to go out and be the girl everyone knew and loved. I felt safe that if I started to break down, Kaleb would be there to cover me. I was like a fragile little scared girl facing the world, but I knew that he would be right next to me. So much came from such a simple gesture.

I nodded, biting my lip and walking out of the Aphrodite cabin with him. I passed through the rest of the beds in the cabin, and some of my half siblings gave me encouraging smiles and nods, so I smiled back. Tess was back, at least everyone had to think I was.

We got outside, and went to where the popular people were eating breakfast. We didn't eat with everyone else, we had our own spot.

"Hey guys" I said to them grinning. I had a lot of friends. My sister Aira smiled at me. Aira was Aira, and she was dating my brother Keegan, and another guy I dated after Kaleb, Jordan. Don't ask why she was dating both of them, but they both loved her and so she couldn't choose. And just to clear it up, Keegan was my real brother, Aira was my adopted sister.

The rest of my friends consisted of superficial barbie dolls and stupid sexy boys who got drunk and had sex. I guess that was the blunt way of describing them. I mean no doubt I loved my friends to death, but standing back and looking at them for a month...we were not the brightest bunch.

Everyone grinned and said hi back and Charlie motioned for me to sit net to him and I gave him a smirk back and went over. Charlie was one of my hot guy friends, I think he was a son of Apollo or something. And he was single, single, single. I honestly don't think he had plans to ever really be in a relationship. All Charlie did was flirt with us hot girls and then cross his fingers and pray he got lucky. So me sitting next to him and whispering something sexy in his ear made him grin with glee that I was back, and available, and that he could flirt back, cross his fingers and pray yet again that he would get lucky. It was almost as if everything was beginning to be normal. But it was never going to be normal again.


	3. Attention

Attention. I wanted it because I was a teenage girl. I attracted it because I was a daughter of Aphrodite. I got it by just being myself, and showing up. When you were the most beautiful girl in the modern world, attention was unavoidable.

I shimmied as I pulled the shimmery ruffled pink tube top over my platinum hair. I looked into the round mirror, twirling around so I could see the complete ensemble together. The silver sequined shorts reflected off of the chandelier light in my dressing room. They were super short and came up to my tiny waist, with a sparkling bow in the center. I guess they were pretty slutty but what could I do, not wear them? Even my pink stilettos, which matched the pink on my top perfectly, were 6 inches tall. The perfect touch was the word 'Barbie' written in silver glitter on the side, touching where the big toe would start and tapping the heel. I looked super hot, as always, but my perfectly pink glossed lips formed an unmistakable frown.

I put on a fake smirk and walked out of my closet to show my friends, who were waiting in my room for the reveal of my outfit. It was a tradition of sorts, the night of your birthday party all the other popular girls giggled and waited outside for you to change into your outfit and then you came out and they showered you with a variations of ,"Oh my gods so sexy!" So it was the night of my 21st birthday party that I wasn't even crazy about having, but I had no choice, and I was sauntering out of my dressing room to show them what I had come up with. I didn't even want to have the party because it would be the first one I'd had in a long time without Luke. The pain of Luke missing numer 21 was debating if it wanted to east me alive or let me enjoy the night. Something told me it wanted to eat me alive.

But it was nearing 4 months after his death, and I no longer sulked around camp like I was some sort of makeupless Daughter of Aphrodite zombie. I wouldn't say I was getting over it, but I guess I was trying to move on and face reality. I didn't want to lose everything else that was important to me because Luke had decided to leave me. I was a single, sexy, 21 year old...women now. I needed to start taking matters into my own hands. And what better way to move on from Luke's suicide than to get a boyfriend?

"Well?" I asked standing with one knee popped, twirling a piece of my shiny hair around my polished finger.

"So sexy Tess" Amanda, my half sister who was also a daughter of Poseidon, said grinning to me. The rest of my friends nodded in agreement, with the usual chorus of compliments I got no matter what I wore. Though I had to admit, the time I walked around camp in nothing got me a few more compliments. Long story, involving me outsmarting the Aphrodite cabin tradition of the shoes of shame.

I looked around, my blonde hair spinning with my head in confusion. "Where's Aira?" I asked to them, my eyebrow wrinkling at the absence of my sister. Aira was a free spirit, but I didn't think she would miss my prep-party. Like I said, it was tradition.

"She texted me and said she would meet us at the party." Jenna piped in, answering my question. I was confused, where would she be instead of with us?

"Yeah remember when we were making invites and we invited Anti? He actually came." Cassidy told me smirking. I could tell we were having the exact same thought.

Anti was Aira's twin brother. Like I had Keegan, she had Anti. And Anti, if I remember him correctly, was super sexy. He was a male version of Aira, but a bit taller, with a six pack even more defined than hers, and a wider smirk. His black hair fell to his ears and gave him the rugged bad boy look most girls, including me, found attractive. He had the same striking blue eyes that when you looked at him, you saw the ocean.

_"Having fun?" I smirked as I felt a soft tickle on my ear, which I knew was Luke's lips brushing the soft cartilage. I put back on a sexy, but bored look on my face as I gently rested my face on his shoulder. I got the point that we needed to entertain the boy sitting next to Luke, but I didn't get why we had to watch them fight or quite honestly why I was here instead of tanning on our cruise ship._

_I heard one of the doors to the area open, and my eyebrow raised in interest as I noticed Percy, Annabeth, Rachel, Caroline, and some bobble headed girl who was probably one of my half sister's being walked inside, wrists tied behind their backs. I almost wanted to say something sarcastic about Percy and his band of 4 girls with him, but I figured now wasn't the time._

_The boy next to Luke, Antinous, had familiar blue eyes and black hair. The thing about him was that he was extremely tall. He actually was pretty sexy, definitely my type. And after this I planned to slip him my number. "Good entertainment, but nothing I haven't seen before. What else do you have Luke son on Hermes?" My boyfriend sat up straighter. First his jaw tightened, I figured because of the mention of his dad. Then his eyes twinkled like he was in a good mood, his lips smiling wickedly. Luke was so sexy when he thought he was being evil._

_He said something else to Antaeus, not that I was paying the slightest attention. I looked around to the tier of seats with stone benches that were filled with many monsters, giants, you name it. There were creepy skulls everywhere, and a banner of Poseidon under where we were sitting._

_I figured Luke had mentioned Percy, because I caught Antaeus's eye's lighting up. "A son of Poseidon. Then he shall fight well or die well!" His voice echo'ed as he jumped down from our seats of honor, and landed in the arena._

_I lost interest again, resting my head on Luke's shoulder while the boys had a petty argument over who daddy liked more. It was almost cute, I bet Poseidon was watching this and laughing at them because he liked neither of them. Then Antinous, who I had nicknamed as of now Anti, had tried to one-up Percy. "I am a child of Gaea and Poseidon! What lowlife mortal was your mother?" He said back with a smug look. Insulting Percy, I was beginning to like this guy._

_Then I was caught off guard. The bobble-head half sister of mine, wasn't really that. It was Aira in some sort of disguise. She had easily broken free, pulled out a sword, and nocked Percy over to safety. Yup, that was no daughter of Aphrodite, that was my sister. And I looked to Luke panicked, because nobody wanted a wild Aira. Especially not one who had just been tied up. She glared at the boy, turning to fight him. Only later did I realize, that was her twin brother._

"Well that's great?" I exclaimed, not sure if that was a good thing or not. I mean I was just thinking about getting a guy and Anti was a sexy one for that matter. But Cass was always competing with me, like it was her goal to have every guy I had or something. Luke for one, was always with Cassidy when we were fighting. But enough about Luke, if Anti was here I was definitely going to spend some one on one time with him. If Aira could date my twin brother, I could date hers.

"Whatever, lets finish getting ready!" I putting on another perfect smile for my friends. I may had been knocked down hard when Luke died, but one thing I was good at was still staying on top. I was still the leader of the popular girls and nothing had changed. What I said was the law, even if I didn't say it like an order. But doing each other's makeup was like another tradition of ours and tonight wouldn't break it. I had already had too many things broken.


	4. Kisses

Getting drunk was like showing the world your weaknesses. Once you reached an intoxicated level everyone could see your breaking point, and could see you lose control. Long story short, I didn't like to drink.

It was a typical birthday party for us popular campers. Charlie and Jordan were leading a game of beer pong, Keegan was winning a shots competition. Drunk girls and devious guys were in a corner playing an interesting combination of truth or dare and spin the bottle. Yup, just another birthday party. The difference was that usually I was more in the mood to join the madness. Instead, I wouldn't call it hiding or anything, but once everyone was busy I went off to where I figured no one would go, the kitchen, because the lighting was too bright to have a secret make-out session. But it was too dark to do anything productive. I thought I would give myself 10 minutes of alone time before going back out there and throwing myself in there.

_Ponytail tight, lip gloss on, short shorts too short. I was ready for my first game of Capture the Flag. Ok it wasn't my first game, we played every week and I had been here a while now. But this was my first game I was really going to try. The Aphrodite Cabin usually didn't do much except stand in the corner and fix each other's hair because Capture the Flag was so much work. But as the newly elected head of the Aphrodite Cabin, that was going to change._

_A lot of things had changed since I got here. For starters, my friendship with Luke, Aira and Annabeth. Thalia never made it to camp, and was turned into a tree outside of the border. But the 4 of us went separate ways. Aira because herself, finally having a place to fight where it was encouraged. Not that we didn't see each other, but usually she was off testing swords with the boys. She always won. Annabeth was claimed as a daughter of Athena; and now hung out with the bookworms. Luke, who I still had a crush on, had started training and was becoming one of the best sword fighter's in camp. I, well my achievement was I got boys._

_I became instant best friends with the current queen bee, Electra. She was a daughter of Zeus and Hera and thought if her parents ruled Olympus, she owned the place. It was funny, because I was so much prettier then her, and I had quickly taken her spot as most popular girl. First I had dated Kaleb, who I broke up with, gaining my rite of passage for apparently breaking his heart. Then since I was the most popular girl, it was tradition to date the most popular guy. So I dated Chris Charlie Duncan...for like a day. And we got into a huge fight and we can't stand each other to this day. Luckily, he lost his popular status after Aira broke his heart, it was pretty funny. I even dated Jordan, for a little, but eventually broke up with him too. And now that I was the most popular girl at camp, I had become the Aphrodite Cabin Captain and had gotten the rights to the private bedroom. Now all I needed to complete my satisfaction was to have the perfect boyfriend. And there was only one guy who would fit that criteria._

"Well look who it is" I heard a smooth voice come up next to me. It was one I faintly recognized, but it wasn't familiar enough. Still, someone had found my "not hiding space" and I wasn't glad about that. I turned my head to face the voice, coming eye to eye with the blue eyes like the sea.

"Anti?" I said to him with a smirk. He was still the same as I remembered him, extremely tall and extremely sexy. And just like I remembered, when he looked at me he always had the same amused look on his face, even know I hadn't even done anything yet.

"Long time no see huh? How long ago, two years?" He asked me, resting on the wall next to me.

"Year and a half," I said with a smirk, looking at him and shaking my head.

"What?" He looked at me looking at him for a second, puzzled, before laughing.

"Remember I gave you my number that afternoon we met, but you never called me." I pouted to him, slightly tilting my head to one side with my hand on my hip. My hair was water falling down.

Anti shrugged, one that I had seen many bad-boy wannabe's try, though on Anti it looked authentic and attractive, like he was the one playing hard to get. Cute.

_Impressing Luke was the last thing left on my list, and I knew how. Luke had become gradually better at sword fighting, and so had I. I trained, probably getting some of my natural strength from my Titan father, Atlas. You know, the one who holds the sky all day so he's too busy to spend time with his favorite daughter. That one. But since on our way to camp I was pretty much useless, I wanted to get good at sword fighting to impress him. Like I had said, my 11 year old crush had not gone away and I wasn't going to stop until I had him. So the plan was to actually participate in Capture the Flag. Maybe if he noticed my newfound leadership, he was the Hermes Captain, he may also notice my perfect face and then fall in love and ask me to get married. Ok, not all at once, but you're getting the picture._

_I brushed the ends on my shorts with my fingers, touching the armor we had to wear for the game and making sure that my helmet was on right. Once the game had been officially started, I headed for offense in hopes I could find Luke and fight him, or maybe fight someone else and Luke could notice._

I stayed pout-faced at his shrug, at an all-in-good fun, playful attempt to make him feel guilty. Anti sighed and pulled out a cute little box.

"Fine birthday girl, I did get you something to make up for it," he said opening the box to find a silver Tiffany necklace, with the signature heart. The part I liked was that it was obviously a locket, and I could put any picture inside that my heart desired.

I smiled, actually impressed that he had picked me out a super cute and nice birthday gift. "Aw thanks Anti" I said hugging him, then pulling away with a sigh and leaning back on the wall like him.

"Why are you over here?" He asked me, it was almost like for a second his blue eyes flashed with concern, but I figured they didn't.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I said, my eyes twinkling with playfulness, daring him to come closer and find how just how I was feeling. Those exact words however, flashed me into another memory.

_"Tess? Since when did you play Capture the Flag?" Luke asked me. I had surprisingly spotted the flag and was about to try and make a dash for it. The thought of me even touching the flag brought me glee, I would go down in Capture the Flag and Aphrodite Cabin history. The problem was Luke had spotted me, luckily he wasn't picking for a fight. Yet._

_I shrugged, "Since today" I said simply, with a small smirk dancing at my lips._

_Luke raised an eyebrow, because as far as he knew I was a lazy Aphrodite girl who didn't as much even want to pick up a sword. "What made you want to play?" He asked, trying to piece together what he was wondering he was missing._

_"Well wouldn't you like to know?" I said back with a wink, and Luke actually smirked and laughed back. For the first time the two of us talking, his eyes showed more then just love for a girl he considered his little sister, but was that...attraction?_

Anti nodded, "Ok, then if you aren't going to tell me why your all alone on your free will, how else am I going to get you to spill?" He said turning to me with a devilish grin and taking my waist.

"Oh there's ways to make me talk, your just going to have to try...hard" I said back to him with another sexy wink. Then I cutely bit my lip looking to him.

Anti brushed his curls away from his eyes and turned to face me. "What if I don't like trying?" He asked in his low, sexy voice, smirking as he leaned closer.

I put a dainty finger to my lip, like I was thinking about what he had said,"Hmm then maybe you may never know." I said taking a long sexy sigh, then I leaned in a bit more so that we were almost touching.

_This was not what I expected to happen. Ok yeah I planned in my head that I was going to try to get the flag, and end up fighting Luke along the way, but I didn't actually think it was going to happen like that. I had a name for moments like this. When all of the sudden the stars aligned and what you had been praying for finally happened. Oh yeah, destiny._

_"Well since you are here," he said motioning to the ground behind him, "And this is the blue team base. I'm going to have to take you to jail." He said to me with a smirk._

_I figured he had already assumed there was no fight, then I would have to surrender anyways and wait for one of my hot guy cronies to save me. Typical damsel in distress. I was so over that, at least for right now. "Fine, but I'll make a deal with you. Since technically you can't just take anyone to jail against their will, fight me first. Surprisingly enough I brought my sword," I said taking it out with a sparkling look in my eyes. " I keep up you let me go, I can't match you and you can take me of to jail."_

_Luke's blue eyes danced in amusement. I was offering to fight him, something he was sure to win. And Luke was competitive, he always went down with a fight. "Fine Tess, you fight with me for 5 minutes and if you keep up I'll let you go. Hell I'll let you go to the flag."_

_My grin was unmask-able. Excitement jumped off of my pink lips and my ice eyes were shinning. This was going to be the moment I show Luke just how sexy a daughter of Aphrodite was when they were kicking your ass._

Anti laughed slowly, then gently placed his lips against mine. "Something's tells me I'll figure it out." He breathed. It had just dawned on me that I was flirting again. Something about Anti, him being here. Him being himself. It made me feel almost back to normal.

I returned the kiss with a smirk, before pulling away. "I don't know I can be stubborn" I said back, before kissing him again. Normally I would've said our kisses tasted exquisite. But the kisses brought me back to Luke.

_A smirk rested upon my lips as our swords clashed together. Mine, had crystals on the end and looked like it had never been used, never even opened from the silver bowed box it came in. But I had been practicing and it in fact had been used. And in the 4 minutes Luke and I had been at a standstill, we had talked smack to each other in a pretty flirty conversation. It was amazing. The two of us felt so natural. Then all of the sudden Luke stopped. My eyebrow wrinkled as I caught him looking at me._

_"You are so pretty you know that?" He said to me, like he was noticing my radiating beauty for the first time. I think he actually was. I would be disappointed that it had taken his this long to notice me, but since it was Luke I was just glad had been flirting with me as we were fighting. I don't think he had meant to say that to me either, or out loud for that matter, because I think he tried to mask slight embarressment with another smirk._

_I laughed my flirtatious laugh, "Of course I know that Luke, I'm the most popular girl here I think I would know that I was pretty." I said back to him, since he had stopped to admire the view for a second, I was going to catch him by surprise._

_In a quick motion, I lunged foreword, tilting my sword so that the tip hit his. And before he had a second to process what I was doing, I had nocked his sword out of his hands and into mine. I got on my toes, leaning into his ear. "Rule number 2: Never let your guard down."_

_Luke looked at me with a raised brow, then he laughed. "You, must have been paying attention." I was, he taught a sword fighting class and one day me and my friends actually show'd up. I payed little attention,we were busy flirting with the other students, but caught enough to remember the tricks he taught us. _

_I laughed cutely, "Here trance boy you can have your sword back." I said handing it back to him._

_"I'm impressed" He said with a smirk. I impressed him, and I was feeling great. The only thing that as much as I wanted to stay and fight with him, I had a game to win._

_"Well I'm glad to hear that, now hold on for a second." I said slipping away to go behind him and get the flag when he caught my waist. He had a sexy smirk on his face._

_"Hmm not so fast Tess" He said to me, leaning in brushing my ear.I laughed as he swung me around by my waist back to where I was standing. Then I turned to him and he turned to me and there was a quick moment when I could literally feel the chemistry. Something had changed in my petty crush, I mean I still was crushing on him but now I actually was attracted to him._

_Then the only thing I was hoping for at the moment, the thing that had been in my fantasies when I was 11 and then thing I had been daydreaming about recently. Luke leaned in, holding my waist close, and placed his lips to mine. I think my heart skipped a beat, because the kiss had felt something I didn't feel with Kaleb or Jordan, and definitely not with Chris Charlie Duncan. I thought that at that moment, even know it was just a kiss, that I was in love._

Anti's face snapped me out of my memories, which were painful to re-live anyways. "I can tell." He laughed his sexy laugh again, pulling me into his arms, "but I can be pretty persuasive."

I raised a perfect eyebrow "Really? Amuse me" I challenged looking up to him, because he was taller then me, well taller then most people. I made that as a challenge for him to persuade me, convince me, humor me.

"There's nothing funny about this." He said seriously, looking into my eyes with his own wild like the ocean. I was confused for a second, did our demeanor change or did I miss something.

"I'm sorry I never called," He whispered into my soft neck, "you were with somebody.. And I don't do that sort of thing." He said, almost apologetically. I almost wanted to believe him but I couldn't. Maybe it was Luke's death hitting me, but I was having trust issues these days.

I looked to him skeptically. "Really? Well I'm not with anybody now" I told him, turning my face so that I was facing him again. I moved myself closer to him. Saying those words of reality stung, but I used them as a springboard. I needed to declare my freedom from Luke, so that I could focus on Anti now. "Does this mean you would call me back now?" I asked him more quietly. Like I said, reality sucked but I needed to hone in on it if I wanted to be able to fully dive in with other guys.

_"Hold on a second Luke," I broke our kiss, though as amazing as it was I had one more thing on my bucket list today. I ran over and got the flag, and second later Luke was running behind me with a devilish grin. I knew if he caught me, he would take me somewhere else, but not jail. I planned on meeting up with him after, but I had a game to win first. I blew a kiss from behind and continued to run to the red team base._

"I would do more than call you." He smirked, "I will do more than call you." His arms encircled my small frame as he tilted his head down to kiss me.

I smirked, and met my pink lips to his, placing my arms on his side. I slightly moved away "Hmhm I bet you will Ant" I said kissing him again

Anti laughed one last time, then bent down to pick up my legs, swooping me up bridal style. "You bet correctly." He smirked at me. I wasn't going to say I was in love with him or anything; but I thought he was going to be the one to pull me out of this pity party. Anti wasn't nessicarily going to replace Luke in my heart, but he might have found a way to slide his way in.

_"Good game Tess" Luke said grabbing me from behind._

_"I know, and now I have a few ideas on what to do for my victory lap." I said back to him, turning around in his arms and kissing him again. I was pretty sure people could see us, but I had a feeling we looked like a pretty hot couple._

I was done thinking about Luke. I willed my memories to go away. As good as they were now was not the time to reminisce. I smirked, moving my hand up and down his shoulder. He was so ripped, It was almost entrancing. "I always do" I said giving him one more peck and smirking "Where too then?" I asked him with an raised eyebrow. Now that I was free, I could do whatever, whenever, with whoever the f*** I wanted. And right now I wanted Anti. And I always got what I wanted.

"Wherever you want." Anti replied. See? Told you.


	5. Madly, Deeply, Truly In Love

Five words. Statement. I. Had. A. New. Boyfriend. You see, it was 6 months now since Luke's death, and I had finally gotten over it. Sorta. I mean, Luke was probably in Eyslllum on a lounge chair drinking beer and talking to some hot new girlfriend anyways. And considering how easy it was for him to kill himself **in front of me **I figured it was probably easy to replace me with a new girlfriend by now too. So taking that into consideration, I had finally been able to change my status back to 'In a relationship'. I'm sorry Luke, for finally getting over your ass. Oh wait, no I'm not.

My delicate lashes fluttered open but quickly shut. I could feel my head against his chest, and I felt a small movement, telling me that Anti was up and conscious. I smirked, not quite ready to get up yet. I figured if I stayed quiet and still he wouldn't know I was awake.

I felt a soft touch on my neck, then I felt Anti's lips gently brushing against it, he knew I was up, that my peaceful sleeping was a facade. Then my rose lips turned from smirking to grinning, as I took in the faint smell of sea salt. "I guess your awake?" I said to him, jokingly playing dumb as I rolled over away from him.

Anti smirked, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me back to him. He softly spoke into my hair,"I guess your awake?" He mimicked back.

"Whatever" I said sitting up and adjusting my tank top as I heard him quietly chuckle.

"Happy Valentine's day babe" he said to me, wrapping his strong arms from behind and moving me onto his lap. My skin was so cold, but his was warm and the combination felt soothing. I slightly turned my head, kissing his cheek. Then his lips.

"Happy Valentine's day to you too Ant, so what's our plan today?" I asked him smirking. Usually I picked out what we did when we hung out as a couple. But this was Valentine's day and I was going to let him be romantic, It would've been too easy for me. But my smirk could only mask my mental problem so much. I was starting to love Anti, but I couldn't stop thinking about Luke.

_"This is our first Valentine's day together" Luke said to me with a grin, his sand hair reflecting sunlight. The warm sand tickled my thighs as I sat on the camp beach with him. I picked up one of the red velvet cupcake's he had gotten, and used my delicate finger to take a sample of the frosting. The sweet cream cheese instantly melted in my mouth as my lips grinned in approval. I picked up the cupcake with a nod._

_"Yeah it is, isn't that exciting!" I said distracted, trying to play it cool, but as a daughter of Aphrodite this was one of the best days of the year. I took the cupcake, about to take a bite into it when Luke smirked, pulling the blue t-shirt over his then-kept, now unkept hair. His chest was exposed, so I took the pink cupcake and smashed it into his abs instead of eating it. I pretended to think as I laughed, "Yup pink is definitely your color"_

_I thought he was mad for a split second, but then he mustered a devilish grin. I started to scoot back away, but Luke grabbed my waist picking me up into a big hug and spinning me around. My pink bikini and my open torso we both plastered in pink frosting. Luke's chuckled surrounded me until I pressed my lips to his, going on my tippy toes for the full effect._

"Well, I've got date night and then Aira's room" Anti responded watching my face for approval, not that my 'no' would stop him. I rested my head back on his shoulder. It sounded good, nothing super special but not bad. The dinner date was expected, and Aira's room was needed.

You know that moment in your relationship where you just know its time, and you feel like you love the person"oh so much" and that you would give it up to them if they simply asked? That was what Aira's room was for. Technically it had multiple purpose's, but mostly when you were at the time when you needed it.

I guess thats where I felt with Anti. I didn't love him, but I wasn't sure if it was because of Luke or I really didn't. Like every time I tried to get the words out they just felt metallic on my tongue. But yet, I felt like I would do it with him. Not just like causally, like in a romantic setting. It was complicated.

"Good plan, what time's dinner?" I say trying to move out of the bed again but Anti had his arms protectively around me.

"8, that gives us a few hours to eat and then the rest of the night," He seuductivly whispered into my ear.

"Good," I said in approval, 8 gave me enough time to relax a little and then get ready. "Now will you please let me go?" I whinnied to him, turning to face him with a sexy pout. One way that helped me get my way, other then charmspeak, was sheer sexiness.

_"Lu-ke!" I just about squealed, trying to get away from his cupcake covered bare chest. I mean I loved being up against him but I wasn't loving the whole cupcake bikini thing._

_"What? You want another one?" He laughed as if he couldn't hear me. Still holding me tight he quickly grabbed another cupcake. "Hold on hold on" he smirked before putting the red and pink cake right into my perfect button nose._

_"Lu-ke!" I screamed as he let me pull away. I crossed my arms and almost stopped my foot like I did when I was six, but I stopped myself. I reached up to use my fingers to wipe off the frosting when Luke took his hand and whipped a chunk of the pink frosting off my face and into his mouth. He tried to take another taste but I hit his hand away, my pink lips still in a pout._

_"Tess come on" He said laughing, I guess at sight of my cupcake covered face and the spot where his fingers trailed. I raised an eyebrow not budging, and he came over, placed his arms around me and wiped the frosting off of my soft lips with his own._

Anti stole a kiss on my cheek before unwrapping his arms from me. "Go ahead," he said to me letting me go. He gave me a look, like he was pretending to be hurt by my action of leaving him. But this was Anti, and petty things like that wouldn't hurt his wittle feelings. My ice blue eyes rolled to the top of my head as I climbed out of bed and into my dressing room to get ready for the day.

Looking around my thousands of options I felt as if my closet was empty. Because today was an important day, I needed to find out if I loved him or not. So what do you wear on a day like this? I let out a long, dramatic sigh as I kept filing through my clothes. I had absolutely nothing to wear. I sat down in one of the plush chairs looking at my clothes as I began to drift into another memory.

_I had to admit it was quite the scene. We were sitting in a little boat in the lake by camp and it was gorgeous outside. I mean like, the sunset had a beautiful mix of pink orange and purple and the water was so clear you could see yourself in it._

_I looked over to Luke who was sitting on the other side of the little boat we were in together. It was weird, because he was looking at me. I mean I guess it wasn't weird he was looking at me...we're boyfriend and girlfriend and all. But the way he was looking at me it was something different. Almost like the way I looked at him the first time I saw him._

_The wind started blowing a bit, and I got a little cold. That was abnormal for me, because my god-mother was the goddess of ice and I had ice powers so me and cold usually went well. It was the summer heat I couldn't stand. I had a weird feeling my mom had something to do with this. The whole freezing cold romantic scene. Nevertheless, I rubbed my arms in the chill because I was wearing nothing but a pink sparkly string bikini. Not my best choice. Luke laughed, watching me shiver and looked around for a jacket to hand me but we both realized we left his jacket on shore. "Way to go Luke" I teased to him, not like it was his responsibility to keep a jacket for me at all times, but hey I needed someone to blame for my coldness._

_Luke rolled his eyes. "Way to go wearing just your bikini on the boat" he countered. And I laughed because it was true. But what else was I supposed to wear, sweatpants and a jacket? Not going to happen. Plus I knew he was enjoying the view._

_So we kept drifting around in the water, even know it was cold and we actually didn't have any purpose for sitting here. It was Valentines Day and those kinds of things were romantic. So I scooted closer to Luke so that we we were almost on the same side of the boat. And the wind blew harder and the chills got colder. I snuggled close to Luke, and I rested my head on his shoulder as we looked at the beautiful sun setting._

_"It's really pretty. I mean like beautiful" I said to him marveling at the colors blending. "And I don't say that about many things."_

_Luke chuckled as he used his hands to rub my shoulders. Then he stopped rubbing, and let out a deep sigh. "Not as beautiful as you" he said._

_And I laughed, because I knew it was true. And because I knew I was probably the prettiest thing he'd ever sceen. But the way he said it didn't seem like he was saying it like a fact, but more like a compliment._

_I gave him a small smile as we continued to rock. Then Luke made a noise like he was about to say something, but then he didn't. "What?" I asked him, not sure what he was choosing to keep from me._

_"Nothing, nothing" he said as he started to laugh._

_I gave him a little tickle. "What Luke, tell me! TELL ME!" I said followed by a cute laugh. I mean I hated it when people wouldn't tell me things, I mean all I wanted was to know. I didn't get why he wasn't going to tell me._

_Luke laughed in protest, then wrapped his arms around me. "Telll meeeeee!" I whined._

_Then Luke took a breath and it was quiet for a moment. "Tess i...i think I l-"_

_Then as he was about to finish in sentence the wind took another blow and suddenly I was submerged in water. I came up above the water, my hair drenched, and I was shivering in the cold February air, wondering why again we boating in mid-winter. I looked over to Luke who was laughing as I swam over to him. We started treating water as I looked to him. Part of me was mad that I was covered, and surrounded by water. And my hair was so disgusting and wet. But part of me just didn't care because it was funny and I was with Luke._

_"Are you gonna tell me now?" I asked him softly as I swam a little bit closer._

_We faced each other in the water treading for a moment._

_"Tess, I love you" He said to me. And thats when I knew that was it. That was the moment I knew we were going to be together forever and that my 11 year old fantasies of our big wedding and our millions of perfect, beautiful children wasn't just a fantasy. It was going to become a reality. Because he loved me and he said it for the first time right there. In the water._

_"I love you too Luke" I laughed back to him. Though it didn't feel like the first time. It felt like I had known it forever._

I went back to harsh reality. I guess that was my problem now. I had known I had loved Luke from the second I laid eyes on him. But when I first saw Anti well, I thought he would maybe be a summer fling. So, at this moment my problem right now was that I wasn't sure what I was feeling. I wasn't getting the click I felt when I looked at Luke. And even know I said I was really, truly over him. That I was moving on and loving my new boyfriend, I was wondering if I was just saying that to convince myself that I was over it. But I really didn't love Anti the way I loved Luke and I really never could love anybody else that way. And I guess that's where I was now. How could I convince myself to love Anti, if I was still madly, deeply, truly in love with Luke.


	6. Guilt for Blame

Choices. Everyone makes so many every day. But choices have consequences, and bad one's haunt me. It was stuff I wasn't sure I could ever get over. I was over Luke's death and everything...but it was still in my mind all of the time. Everyone said it wasn't my fault, but I couldn't help thinking that I did something to trigger it. Something that made it possible for him to kill himself in front of me. I wish there was something I could of done to stop it. There was. I know there must have been.

I was all dressed for dinner with Anti, and I had some hours to spare. It wasn't like I was lonely, I had tons of people that would come to hang out with me at my call. But I yet again, hid out from everyone for 10 minutes to think. Last time Anti had interrupted me, so I didn't think I was going to get the full allotted time. But even so, I curled up in a blanket. I began to relive one of the most painful memories I knew I would have to get through to fully forgive Luke.

_It was late summer that year, and Luke had been acting...strange. I figured as his girlfriend I was the only one who could tell but I think everyone noticed his weird reactions. He said he had been getting awful nightmares. And ever since our quest we went on, the one that we had failed but Luke had come back with a nasty scar, he had been more bitter then usual. I couldn't even mention our parents without him making a face in distaste. He had told me we needed to talk, and I was getting sort of worried. Had I done something to get the break up speech? Because if I got an "its not me its you" I think I would shoot someone._

_We meet in the woods. The moon was lingering over me and the late August wind had been running through my hair as I made my way to our meeting spot. It was enclosed and surrounded by trees, so no one would bother us. We were supposed to be in bed now, which was why we snuck out. Whatever he was going to tell me had to be completely private._

_As soon as he saw me he quickly ran and pressed his lips to mine. It felt urgent, as if he was trying to savor the kiss because he didn't know if it would be our last. He put his arms around me bringing me into a hug as he kissed me harder and harder. He bit on my lips, asking for entrance as I let his tongue wrestle with mine. Then I pulled away nervously._

_"Luke...what's gong on?" I asked him as he couldn't meet my eyes. I usually didn't get worried about things, but Luke was important to me and I didn't want this to be our last night as a couple._

_"Sit," he sighed, as I rested on a rock facing him._

_I opened my mouth to start and he shook his head. "No. Let me talk I have a lot to explain." he said pacing, as if he had rehearsed what he was going to say millions of time but now he was here he didn't know where to start._

_"Olympus. The 12 Olympians...they've been in charge for forever. And their too busy to even pay their children attention. My dad...he left me and my mom. And then he gives me a quest that had already been done. Just so I fail and come back to camp for everyone to feel sorry for me. And I hate him Tess. I really do, he_ _doesn't love me, none of them love us!"_

_I interrupted not sure where he was going."My mom, she talks to me every once in a while. She loves me; II'm like almost a splitting image of her," It was true, since Aphrodite never had a childhood I swore she was living through me._

_"What about your dad? When was the last time he gave you a call?" Luke asked accusingly. Never. Never was the answer, and he knew it._

_"Ok we all have daddy issue's whats your point?" I said back wondering why we had to bring my dad into this. I didn't hate him, I just didn't know why he couldn't get a day off holding the sky to come visit._

_"I've been getting these...dreams. Ever since the quest and I came back. This titan, Kronos. I think he's like your uncle or something."_

_"Great Uncle." He was my dad's dad's brother._

_"Whatever. And he's been telling me of this great new...age! A new age, Tess a golden age! And we can rule it together think about it..." He marveled, like he had been having pictures in his head._

_"Wait I'm confused," I said honestly lost on what was going on._

_"I stole Zeus's bolt. And he Helm of Darkness. Well, I tried. But then Ares found me and we fought. He would've won, but I was underestimated. Then he took the bolt, but agreed with me. This can cause a full out war; and the Olympian's will fight amongst themselves. But now that new kid, Percy, is gong to try and f**k everything up, so I'm going to kill him. Kronos want's him dead, if he manages to actually succeed. And then we're going to go, you and me." I looked up to him with an incredulous look. To where exactly we were going I wasn't sure, but I guess he had a plan. Maybe a surprise._

_"Wait, your asking me to help you start a war?"_

_"No. I'm asking you once we win the war, to rule the New Olympus with me. Or whatever the hell we want to call it." He said to me, finally siting down and looking me in the eyes._

_"I..I don't know Luke. I mean your trying to take over the world?"_

_Luke shrugged, "More or less." he admitted._

_What was I supposed to do? Mom hadn't given me the girls guide to: what to do when your boyfriend wants to take over the world. But I could really use it right now. I wasn't convinced his was a good idea. I didn't even care that the Olympian's had been ruling. I still loved my mom. But I saw his point about his dad. I just wasn't getting how this was all fitting and why we needed to take over the world. Couldn't they just go to family counciling? This just seemed like a waste of time, and I wasn't sure he knew what he was getting into._

_"Luke. My uncle, great uncle, or whatever. He's no joke do you really know what your doing?" I tried to reason with him. Kronos was the titan of time. And this guy tried to eat his own kids. Maybe it was just me, but he didn't really remind me of a friendly neighbor down the street. What kind of guy creeps on you in your dreams and then is like "Hey lets take over the world and kill your father! It'll be fun!" Sorry, this wasn't sounding good._

_Luke shuddered, then nodded. "Yes I know, those nightmares I told you about...those were him. He's been mad about the whole bolt thing. Me being caught by Ares. But I swear I'll never fail him again."_

_I sighed, I wasn't sure I wanted him to do this._

_Luke looked at me with pleading eyes, "Please Tess, you could rule with me. Be my queen...forever. I love you, you know that. And I don't know if I can do this without you. You're immortal.. I'm not. If we succeed, I don't have to die." He came over and sat on the rock next to me, wrapping his arms on me and kissing my forehead._

_So he was trying to romance me. Well it was working. I knew somewhere deep down that this was not a good idea, but I loved him. I was foolishly in love and if this was what he wanted I would stand by him. I knew he would've done the same for me._

_"Ok." I whispered, kissing him softly. I turned around on the rock so that my legs were now wrapped around his waist. I laughed, before kissing him again, as he stood up lifting me with him. He spun us around as I giggled in glee before he put me down._

_"You trust me?" He asked me seriously._

_I nodded honestly, "I do, I really do. And if this is what you want, I'm in with you 100%." I said hugging him. He picked me up again, and then laid me on the grass. We rested there together, as he played with my hair. I never let him touch it, but right now it was sort of the calm before the storm that I had a feeling the next few years would be. But I knew my agreement to come with him was all he needed for permission._

I went back to reality, a stinging pain in my heart. It truly was my fault. I sighed his death slip. I told him I was in 100%. But it wasn't my fault, I was 16 and stupid. It was better then being 16 and pregnant like some of the other girls. But still I had done it. I looked my 19 year old boyfriend in the eyes and told him that it was ok and that I would stay by his side. And once it was over, he had died fixing the problem he solved. While I was here trying to move on.

My heart was sinking, flooding with guilt. My heart couldn't breath and began to drown in the reality. It was suffocating. No matter what anyone said, it was my fault Luke was dead. And not because I was an awful bitchy girlfriend. I was a sweet, innocent, blinded by love 16 year old girl. I had let him do it because I loved him and couldn't bear to hurt him. My feelings had came before my mind, trying to protect him. Luke on the other hand, protected me instead of doing what his heart wanted. Somehow I knew if he could've found a way for us to still be together without the world getting destroyed in the process he would've. He knew it was too late and accepted it.

I couldn't get over the guilt that it really was my fault. I could forgive Luke now, but I couldn't forgive myself. My broken heart was shattered, and I think I was the one who was holding the hammer.


	7. 10 Reasons My Heart Stopped Beating

When a guy tells a girl they need to talk, that flashes a red flag. Remembering when Luke asked me to talk, reminded me that that talk sealed his death. So I wasn't a fan of having talks with guys, especially ones I was dating. I would so much rather kiss or make out or whatever. Lips could be used in such better ways then talking. But Anti had asked if we could talk earlier today and I didn't want to postpone it any longer. I was not a patient girl, and I didn't feel like waiting to hear whatever he had to say.

I decided to let myself into the Poseidon Cabin. I looked over to Anti, who wasn't even dressed and had a smirk all ready for me as soon as I came in. My arms we're crossed though and I was ready for the serious conversation. I didn't want to mess this one up like I messed up Luke's conversation. But if Anti asked me to take over the world with him I didn't know what I would do.

Anti reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling me into the bed with him. He pressed my face into my hair, "Do we have to talk now?" he murmured

I sighed "Well," I giggled. Feeling Anti up close to me and softness of his bed made everything so perfect, and so right. "Technically no, but yes we should just talk now." I sighed as I laid with him. I just wanted to get whatever he had to tell me overwith so we could keep going on with everything. It kept dangling over my head and it was annoying.

He pulled back from my hair and met my eyes. It looked like he wanted to try and get out of this talk but he knew he shouldn't. That worried me a little. "Tess, baby, I'm leaving." He stated in an easy voice. As if he didn't know this would ruin me.

I paused, "What do you mean by leaving?" I started. Leaving could mean a lot of things, non of which I wanted. Maybe not talking right now was a good idea. I thought about what leaving would do to me, and I couldn't even take the thought in my mind. I was in shock.

I tried to turn away, avoid the conversation for now, but Anti gently squeezed my hand and he turned to face me again. "Last night Zeus contacted me. There's been an uprising in southern Antarctica and they need me to check it out."

"Well...can I come with you? Or can't you just not go?" I asked him beginning to feel a sick feeling in my stomach. If he was really leaving me, this was starting to feel like daja vu. "Anti you can't just all of the sudden leave me." I protested, I was desperate to save this. Save what we have. Save the heartbreak I was going to face.

My grip tightened on him, and one of my nails chipped. I didn't mean to grip him so hard, I was just in a storm of feelings. "Tess I'm sorry.. I'll be gone for a few months..."

"Months?" I started to tear up but kept myself from crying "Anti you and I just started dating and now your just leaving for a few months on some stupid trip? Do you know what your doing to me!"

"Tess, it's my job. I can't say no!"

I knew I was squeezing him tight in anger and suddenly let go and crossed my arms. "Why not! I say no all of the time! My boyfriend died Anti, Luke died! And now I finally get another boyfriend and your just going to leave me? How am I supposed to feel about that?"

Anti braced against my anger, "It's not my FAULT Tess! Yell at your mom, or Zeus, or something!"

"Trust me I will yell at them later, but right now I'm yelling at you! Its not like there was no way for you to say no! You couldve turned it down if you wanted too!" My heart was breaking, another boy was leaving me and not putting up any fight to stay.

"Do you really think I WANT to go to ANTARCTICA and FIGHT MAGIC PENGUINS?!"

"Really? IF all their doing is sending you out to fight penguins then your WASTING YOUR TIME!" Lets be real, this whole penguin thing was bulls**t. Zeus could go fight is damn penguins himself.

"THEY'RE MAGICALLY ENHANCED OR SOMETHING!"

"THAT SOUNDS MAGICALLY STUPID"

"IT IS MAGICALLY STUPID!"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU WASTING YOUR TIME AND GOING?"

"I DON'T HAVE A Choice,

"You ALWAYS have a choice"

"Always?" Anti asked, his voice dangerously low, "did you have a choice when Luke died?"

"Don't bring Luke into this" I whispered, feeling hurt that he even mentioned it. Feeling hurt he was leaving. Feeling hurt that the pain of Luke was coming back and hitting me twice as hard.

"Don't make me." Anti whispered back, "How do you think it feels to be dating a girl who loves her dead ex-boyfriend more than he loves me?" He asked bitterly

A tear ran down my cheek, that was pretty harsh. "How do you think it feels to have a boyfriend that commited suiside infront of you? I'm trying to move on from Luke ,Anti you know its hard for me. But your acting like I don't love you at all. I do. But your being insensitive to me trying to move on after Luke's death." I said back barley above a whisper.

I looked down, not meeting his eyes. "I should've known better, Tess. Nobody wants to be the rebound, and believe it yourself or not, that's what I am."

swallowed "Maybe you are my rebound but right now your what I need. I need you Anti. I really am trying to forget Luke I promise, and I'm 100% with you now. I just need you to help me get back to where I was." 100% was what I said when I signed Luke's death sentence. I said I was with him in this. 100% Lost me Luke and now its loosing me Anti.

"I'm sorry Tess.. But I have to go. I leave tomorrow afternoon."

I took a deep breath, it was like every boy I thought I loved wanted to leave me. "Fine, leave. Just do what Luke did and abandon me." It was a harsh accusation, but Anti deserved it.

He forced her to look at him, "If I can't bring him up, neither can you."

"Well you brought him up already so I guess I'm bringing him up. Luke left me broken and your doing the same."

"That's not fair, Tess. It's not the same and you know it."

"Its exactly the same. Both of you are leaving me to do some hero crap and not thinking twice about how I feel about it"

Anti sighed slowly and I crossed my arms "You know I'm right don't pretend like i'm the bad guy here." I said back no longer in the mood to even want to talk to him. What kind of d**k brakes up with his girlfriend after her boyfriend died a few months ago? And how was I the one who was wrong in this situation.

"You know this doesn't have to be goodbye... If you were really commented to us you would wait for me."

I paused, because he was right. "If you were really committed you would find a way out of this. Your creative. Have your mom yell at Zeus." His mom was pretty mean, and could get Zeus rilled up for sure.

"Now you're just trying to get of it.."

"No Im not, I'm just not letting you pin this all on me. Your the one abandoning ship not me"

"I'm jumping to a new ship, maybe, but your refusing to let go of the old, even though it's sinking. Come on, say you'll come with me. Promise to wait for me."

I took a deep breath, unsure if that was what I even wanted. "3 months is a while, what if I get a new boyfriend while your gone?" I asked, knowing I wasn't one to stay single. There were too many guys out there, and I was too pretty. I didn't have strong will power when it came to not cheating.

"Then I guess I never meant much to you anyway." I sighed slowly, and Anti did too.

"You do mean a lot to me, really. But you know how I am with the word promise. I don't like to trust anyone...I don't even trust myself anymore Ant." It was true. I caused the death of my boyfriend. And now I was letting this one get away too. How come everything I love slowly leaves me?

"Then I guess tomorrow is goodbye."

I sighed "Sorta, I mean maybe when you come back we can get back together and all. But I don't want to promise anything while your gone"

Anti smiled slightly and shook his head; "I don't think so, Tess. If you're not here for me, there's no reason to come back."

I sighed, not sure what I was going to do without him. He wasn't Luke but there was no one else I could picture myself with. "I mean..." I started "I don't know I have to think"

He pulled her close and kissed the top of my head. "If you wanted to be with me, you'd know."

"But your the only other person I see myself with" I said leaning into him

"Your perfect Tess, find someone."

"Im not perfect, I thought I was but Im not" I admited, but I knew everything he was saying was right. There was someone for me somewhere and I didn't think he was that someone. I thought Luke was that someone, and now I would have to go to plan C. But admitting I wasn't perfect was a step for me, because up until this year I honestly believed I was like the personification of perfection. I was stunning, smart, funny, charming. But somehow even the perfect ones get knocked down a few pegs.

"You'll find someone." He reassured. I wanted to take that to heart, but I couldn't. Twice now I was abandoned by someone I loved. I really couldn't believe in it anymore, I just couldn't. I was a daughter of Aphrodite who was resenting love.

I took a sigh, getting up from his grasp. "I should go now." I decided looking at my now ex-boyfriend. It hurt in my mind that Anti was added to the list of my exes, but he was an ex now.

He let my hand go as I stood up. "Say goodbye to me before I leave tomorrow?"

I bit my lip, I hated goodbyes. "Maybe. If I can," But I didn't think my heart could take it. Luke never had a proper goodbye and I wasn't sure Anti deserved one either.

Anti nodded at me, but instantly I went back and gave him a hug, not wanting to let go but knowing I would have to eventually. He held me tightly, patiently waiting for me to pull back. I closed my eyes, counted to ten. Ten reasons my heart was broken, and hence stopped beating.

1. I love you

2. I know its not the same

3. It will never be the same

4. That love was too good to be true

5. Your leaving me

6. Its not your fault

7. I'm lonely now

8. Not because you left

9. Because now I have no one else

10. And I still love you

Then I let go. "Ok now I really am going to go." I said to him with a sigh ,"See ya Anti"

"See ya, Tess."

It wasn't a dramatic goodbye. It wasn't tear-filled and crying and hugging. But it was reality. So I left the Poseidon cabin like I came, with my head held high and my shirt cut low.


	8. XOXO

I hated boyfriends. I hated boys. I didn't like some of my "friends". Boyfriends just seemed like a terrible combination of both things. So maybe I was bitter about my breakup with Anti yesterday. Anti and I only dated for a few months, and it was already the end of May.

But my heart was broken, now that I was having abandonment issues. I didn't want to be alone, but now I didn't want to get attached I was afraid that if I attached myself and found something I loved, that they too would leave me. And most importantly, I was losing hope in love.

When I thought about past boyfriends, I couldn't even put Anti at the bottom. So he had broken up with me like that, which was pretty cold. And he left my heart broken and what not. But I had dated worse guys then him before. Worse guys named Chris Charlie Duncan. This was a perfect example, of why I hated boyfriends.

_I was walking around camp, relishing in my new found popularity when I felt a subtle slap on the butt. I wasn't offended or anything, I was proud of my perfect ass. I just didn't necessarily like it when other guys touched it without my permission...without my permission._

_"What do you want?" I asked whoever hit me, as I looked up at the face of Chris Charlie Duncan. Chris was 3 years older then me, but the most popular guy at camp. He was the son of Bellona (Ares's sister) and wait for it…Peyton Manning. So he was a superstar of a sort at camp. And because he was, we always called him Chris Charlie Duncan. Chris was too normal for a guy like him._

_It helped that he wasn't bad looking. He had clean cut light brown hair that sometimes in the sun looked like it had some honey blonde in it. What got the girls was his piercing olive green eyes that were so light they reminded me of glass. They we're inviting and shiny when he was flirting, like a pretty reflection. But when he was fighting or angry, they were sharp, like frosted glass. He had broad shoulders, at least a 6 pack, and a charming smile. He could drive, fight, flirt, and obviously play football. Honestly I spent my time wondering what he couldn't do._

_Chris Charlie Duncan shrugged, sticking his hand in the pocket of his light wash destroyed jeans. He looked like he was out of a page of an Abercrombie magazine or something. He scratched the back of his neck, then he tried to look at me without squinting but the sun was in his eye. "I heard you just became the head of the Aphrodite Cabin."_

_I nodded with a smirk, "I guess news travels fast." I had only been the head for a few hours now, but my popularity was through the roof now. I thought guys we're after me before, now between the boys at camp I was like a prize to be won, groomed, and trophied around camp._

_Chris Charlie Duncan chuckled, "It does." He said simply,"And I also have been told that officially you're the most popular girl at camp."_

_I tried to hide a smile, by giving him a flirty look instead. Popularity was my goal once I got here, so I was glad my work was done. "Kicked Electra right from her throne"_

_"That you did" he said with a flirty nudge, "And there is this tradition. More like a rule...here at camp. The most popular guy and girl are always dating."_

_I bit my lip, I still wanted Luke. I really wanted Luke. And secretly, I never liked Chris. He's too cocky and perfect...too much like me."Well sucks to suck; because I guess the tradition just ended."I said with a smirk, and one hand on my hip._

_Chris smirked, standing behind me and putting his arms around my shoulder's seuductivly. I still saw it as being trapped. "Aww Tess come on I'm not good enough?" He asked into my neck._

_"Chris! I don't get the big deal." I sighed, seeing where this was going. And I wanted out. I was about to be bullied into dating someone, can that even happen?_

_"Tess come on, with popularity comes responsibility. We have no choice" he said as he nipped at my neck. It was as if he pretended he was being forced into this too but Chris Charlie Duncan didn't seem like the kinda guy to get forced into dating girls. I was too much of the perfect girl for his image, I was the prize to be won._

_"Look, whatever. Sure." I said as he let go. I crossed my arms over my chest. Just in case he was looking there. I was onto him. Everyone thought he was so good but I knew what he was up to. I also knew, that I was just forced into dating him. And I knew, I was pissed about that._

_So later that day Chris and I had plans to leave camp. It was pretty much sneaking out, because Chiron doesn't count first dates as valid reasons to leave camp._

_At first I wasn't excited, at all. Because I felt like this date would be a novelty. But then as I had all of the other popular girls in camp help me get ready for the ceremonial first date, I was getting slightly more excited. I just pretended that I wasn't. But how many times is the most popular guy in camp 3 years older then you, super hot,and can drive? And then he asks you out on a date? I just decided to take the opportunity while it was there._

_My short dress was a sweet sea foam green. It was strapless, with a pretty sweetheart neckline. The beautiful lace danced into a sweet flowy skirt with a gathered ribbon tie waist. I straightened my hair, which was cute because it went a little past my shoulders. I put on white heels with had a sparkling bow on the side. So my outfit was casual, yet cute and dressy. And even know I was pretty young, I was a cadet so I could make myself look older. I don't even think most of the camp knew I wasn't 15._

_I met Chris Charlie Duncan right behind the Ares cabin, where he resided in even know he wasn't a child of Ares. Like anyone actually cared enough to point that out. I saw Chris leaning on the back wall of the cabin checking his phone, so I came up behind him grabbing his waist. He was dressed equally as nice as me, causal, but nice. "Hey" I whispered sexily in his ear, my soft lips brushing the cartilage as he turned around to face me._

_"Hey Tess" he said looking at me, up and down. Then he went back to his phone. I pouted, usually I wasn't completely ignored like this when I was with guys. To be honest I expected him to compliment me as soon as he looked at me. I decided to try a cute pickup line to get it stared, because I needed him to focus his attention on me and not on whatever he was looking at._

_"Um, hey Chris do my shoes match my eyes?" I asked him blinking innocently as I twirled a strand of hair around my finger that was polished in silver polish. Chris looked to my shoes, then to my eyes. Then he started from my shoes and slowly made his way all the way back up lingering on the places I expected him to._

_He shook his head, "No, they don't. Your shoes are white and your eyes are blue" he said to me looking confused why I asked him._

_I laughed, "Well I'm glad you just took the time to check me out" I said with a smirk and I lightly shrug, leaning on the wall next to him._

_Chris chuckled, getting the joke as he put his phone in his pocket and looked to me. "I see what you did there." he said to me with a smirk. "Whats next, you gonna ask me if your hair looks good?" He teased. "Cuz it doesn't..." He coughed the last part._

_"Chris!" I exclaimed with a huge pout. I crossed my arms, as I watched him laugh._

_"Joking," he said to me with a smirk. I wanted to believe he really was kidding but I really couldn't. I decided to brush it off, because it was just an all in fun joke right? But something about Chris Charlie Duncan made me not trust him one bit._

_I grinned though, giving him a cute wink. "Seriously, So how do I look?" I asked him twirling a little so he could see the whole dress. To be honest I just wanted him to compliment me so I could be satisfied. Chris Charlie Duncan on the other hand didn't feel like doing that for me._

_Chris smirked, then shrugged looking me over again. "Could be better" he said getting up from the wall and walking towards the spot everyone used to sneak out. It was hidden by trees but if you were smart you found the small opening where you could take the path and end up in New York. Thats were everyone's cars were parked._

_I frowned, following him, trying to keep a blank face like that hadn't upset me. But considering a hot guy just said that to me I was pissed. Seriously, that did not just happen. Once we had arrived at his car, we ended up driving for a while and I couldn't tell where we were going. Then we arrived at the restaurant, which looked pretty nice but not too fancy. And he opened the door for me like a perfect gentlemen, and pulled out my chair for me and everything. I was starting to think that he actually was a gentleman and really sweet and everything._

_Our waiter walked up to our table. He was probably around Chris's age, maybe older, and was probably lucky he scored a job at a place like this. He was dressed nicely, clean cut, as he came to our table and took our drink orders. I stuck with water and Chris had a coke. I think he was going to try and order a beer but he knew he would get caught. Chris was only 16._

_"So Chris," I started with a smirk looking at him from across the table._

_"So Tess," he said back to me with an amused look on his face._

_I blinked cutely, "So. I spy with my little eye something green" I through out there causally, looking to a plant behind him. I had no good reason to play Ispy but I had no bad reason either._

_Chris smirked, "Your face when I hit on the girl from the other table?" He said moving his head in a quick motion towards a petite red head sitting alone typing on her phone. She was cute, and had some tiny freckles. But I doubted she was eating alone on tonight, she was too pretty to eat alone._

_I gave him a weird look back, "But you never..." I started, watching him signal the classic ,"call me" to the girl as she rolled her eyes and stuck up her middle finger. I definitely liked this girl, whoever she was._

_Chris rolled his eyes in responce as I laughed at his failed attempt. Then he sighed, "Ok I'll go." He paused looking around the room, "I spy with my little eye something unattractive. " i knew either he was going to make a jab at me again, or there was something else._

_I looked behind me, seeing a sweaty guy in the corner really digging for gold up there in his nose. Talk about gross, like two knuckles deep. And that was exactly why he was eating alone on a Friday night. I turned back to Chris Charlie Duncan with a smirk, knowing the obvious answer but not feeling like giving it._

_I gave him an innocently confused look, "But Chris, how can you see your face from here. I didn't see any mirrors."_

_Chris rolled his eyes, "How mature Tess" he said to me._

_I shrugged, "As mature as you trying to get that girl to "call you" as your on a date with another girl. Real classy Chris," I said to him as the waiter came back with our drinks._

_"You guys ready to order?" He asked looking between Chris and me, staring longer at me. As he should, I was breathtakingly beautiful, even if I was being annoyed by my boyfriend._

_Chris smirked, "Well I'll have the prime rib, with a side of fries." He said to the waiter looking up at him but with a look of uninterest._

_I smirked, and interjected, pretending to be innocent and helpful. "But Chris are you sure you can eat all of that? I mean...We can get you a kids menu." I offered with a smirk._

_Chris rolled his eyes, "Cute. And she won't be having anything she's not hungry." He said looking to me with a devilish dance in his eyes. He decided to top if off, by whispering to the waiter as if I couldn't hear. "She's on a diet, you can tell she needs it right?" He turned back to me, "Maybe a salad babe? Or a fruit cup?" He offered in mock excitement. Yeah, because Chris Charlie Duncan was definitely the type of guy to be ever so helpful in this situation._

_I rolled my eyes, quickly glancing for the most expensive thing. "Actually I'll have the stake and lobster. And with that can you get me like a little bowl of caviare?" I asked him, making it look like I was serious. But Chris could see completely through the act, and I think he was worried about how much he would be paying for a tiny bowl of caviare he knew I wouldn't eat. And who ordered a bowl a bowl of caviare in public, honestly?_

_Chris Charlie Duncan gave me a glare, "But babe, do you know what all of those calories will do to your figure? You don't to gain anymore more weight." He mockingly leaned in so that it looked like he was whispering to me but the waiter could hear everything, "I can't be seen with someone that large, it hurst my image babe, It hurts"_

_I leaned away,"Call me babe again and I'll smack you. My name's Tess...Tess. Write it on your hand if you need a reminder." I said back as the waiter shifted uncomfortably. This was almost funny._

_"Uh do you guys need a minute?" He asked us._

_"Yeah that would be great." We both replied I unison. I smirked, leaning in to the waiter to talk in private but so Chris could still hear. "And could you bring out that kids menu with extra crayons? He's a crayon bitter look... at those teeth. I mean its gonna take years of braces to fix those" I said leaning back with a satisfied smirk, crossing my arms as the waiter left. I think he was relived to be out of this situation._

_So Chris and I talked for a while, and the waiter eventually came back. I ended up getting my steak and lobster and Chris Charlie Duncan his crayons. Oh yeah, and his prime rib. But I already knew there was no way in Hades I would eat all of that food. I was immortal I didn't even need food._

_We continued to talk, and flirt, keeping it mostly nice. Mostly. And I noticed the girl's boyfriend had came back, so she wasn't a complete loner. Waiting for the food, we got a little antsy, as we were both impatient people. But we tried to entertain ourselves until the food came. Lucky for me, somehow the topic of Chris hitting on that girl earlier had re-come up._

_Chris laughed, "Come on, the girl only turned me down because I was with a date," he said in protest. As if I would believe that was the only reason a sensible girl would be uninterested in an annoying guy like himself._

_"Thats because it's not socially acceptable to flirt with another girl in front of your girlfriend" I said back. Referring to myself as his girlfriend was weird, and left a nasty taste in my mouth. I was still annoyed he said earlier that I could've looked better. Yup, still bitter. No boyfriend of mine could talk to me like that. No matter how "perfect" he thought he was._

_Chris chuckled, "I would care...I really would. Its just that I don't." He said to me, almost sarcastically as he sauntered over to the table with with the redhead, boyfriend and all._

_"Damn, your so beautiful...I forgot my pickup line," Chris said with his signature flirty face and wink. Chris Charlie Duncan was just so perfect it was annoying._

The girls boyfriend didn't seem to take that one well though. And I highly doubt he was thinking of how attractive or perfect Chris was. He turned to Chris with a glare. "Hey! Are you flirting with my girlfriend?" He asked him trying to look intimating. It normally would work, he was one of those gruff masculine guys who could make some guys piss their pants. But Chris was a son of a war goddess, nothing scared him.

Chris Charlie Duncan looked him straight in the eye with a straight face that read "I don't care" and said. "Yes. Yes I am,"

I was about to witness an awful fight go down right here during my date, but I was saved by the sight of our waiter. Chris noticed our food coming out too, and came back to our table like any true guy would. He gave the guy a cocky look, as he retreated. Ladies lets face it, men love food.

When the waiter came, giving us our food I made a point to flirt with him in front of Chris. Just because I could. And Just because I could tell it was bothering him. I started with a wink, then some compliments. I even told him he should call me sometime. And the waiter, who was named David, definitely wanted to take me up on that fake offer. And after the waiter left he looked to me with a

glare, "What the hell was that?"

I shrugged, "Me. Flirting. In my natural habitat," I said moving my food around on my plate but making it a goal of mine not to eat any of mine but enjoy his.

Chris crossed his arms looking at me, then went to enjoying his plate. I started really hard at an imaginary pimple or something on his face until he noticed. "What?'

And for effect, I quickly quickly responded, "Nothing" and which I saw him take his glass just to see what I was looking at. He couldn't find it, and it didn't existed. But I knew this would bug him for a while.

"Tess seriously what?" he asked me almost urgently, oh silly Chris.

I gave him a hard look, then I tried to act like I wasn't looking. "Oh really, its nothing. Forget it," I said innocently, he wasn't going to forget. Then I made a face, "Ew Chris, did you fart?" I asked him convincingly.

Chris glared at me again, and his eyes reminded me of the hard cold frosted glass. "No. But I have a question for you." he smirked devilishly and I knew this was going to be bad," Why are you girls so moody and whinny? I mean like saying your on your period is such a lame excuse." He said crossing his arms in a satisfied smirk because he knew he had brought up a debate that I would get angry about. A debate most girls would get angry about that.

Thanks to Aira's mom, mother nature, Aira never had to have periods. I still did, but they weren't that bad. I was already a bitch in real life so periods just make me bitchier. "Can you bleed for a week and survive? Do you think this is a f**king game?" I asked him keeping myself pretty contained though.

Chris chuckled,"Yeah I get that part, but why are you girls so moody and whinny and well...annoying. And you want us guys to be the ones you trample over. Like I should be the one getting chocolate for you. Get your damn chocolate yourself."

I rolled my eyes, "Ok Chris, how about you sit and bleed and wish you were dead and I'll get you chocolate and chick flicks. Now who has it worse?" I said with crossed arms.

Chris smirked, then shrugged, "I'm done talking about this."

"Exactly, because you know your wrong and on your way to getting murdered."

"Whatever Tess, I just don't think we should have this argument right now,"

"Yup, because your obviously losing." I said reaching over and grabbing a small handful of his fries.

Chris looked at me, "I thought you weren't hungry."

I shrugged, "I'm not hungry Chris." I said simply as I ate another fry. He reached over and tried to touch some of my food as I slapped his hand away. "Ew Chris, keep your hands to your own plate. Germs."

Chris glared at me again, but he kept to his own food as I helped him finish off his fries. Then when dessert came I ordered an extremely large piece of chocolate cake for the two of us to share, but then I only ate one bite. When Chris asked me about it, and accused me for not eating on purpose. I simply said that he had called me fat earlier and now I felt ashamed to eat. That shut him up.

Afterwards we settled on a seemly nice walk outside. But our favorite other couple who we had met at dinner sadly had the same idea. Chris Charlie Duncan thought it was still thought it was a good idea to go talk to her. I thought her boyfriend severely hurting him was a good idea.

Chris smoothly walked over, keeping me on his hip. "Hey baby can I still get your name and number?"

The read head smirked, "My names Mary Clare, and my number is 325-223-39FU." she said crossing her arms as her large man boulder stood behind her.

"Aw come on Mare, we can still meet up after this. I'm always available when you need me." he offered with a wink.

"Like, is your ego too big that its blocking your vision? I'm taken. So F**k off."

I grinned, giving the girl an encouraging look as we high fived. I was glad I wasn't the only girl in the world who hated my boyfriend.

"Fine." Chris said, turning to me instead as he put both arms around my waist and tried to pull me close. I decided to embarrass him a bit more.

"Um! Attention everyone my boyfriend just tried to make a move on me!" I said rather loudly, stepping away from him and pointing. There were whispers and laughs from the small amount of people who were also outside. Chris was obviously embarrassed, but tried to hide it with a snarky expression and a mutter under his breath that sounded like bitch.

"Jackass, douche, take your pick Chris" I said back to him, with another high five from Mary Clare. Then her and her boyfriend decided to leave, and Chris and I actually agreed on two things. One was to go home, and two was that this was probably our last date together. Ever. The popular couple tradition could kiss my ass.

Eventually. we got back at camp and decided to end our date where we began behind the cabin. Maybe Chris was hoping he could still get some action or whatever, but there was no chance of that happening between the two of us.

Then Chris moved closer to me, with a small smile that I knew was probably fake. Then he chuckled. "Look, I really am sorry for how it went down tonight," he said to me, taking a quick look up at the stars above it. The sky was getting gradually darker and I knew curfew was coming up. I looked back to Chris, who had a an almost sincere look in his eyes.

i sighed, "Come on Chris, your not really sorry we both know that. This relationship just isn't going to work out. We don't work." I wanted to mention the other small fact I hated him, but I didn't.

Chris nodded, getting exactly what I was saying and what I wasn't. "Look, I really am going to try and make it up to you. I'll call you tomorrow. And I'll have a special surprise for you when I do. I'll call you at like 3 or something? I really will. I promise." And with that he kissed my cheek and left to go inside his cabin. I for one, was still kinda upset about our date but I was one for surprises. And waited all day excited for the call because I wanted him to give me something. I even considered the possibility that if the surprise was good enough I would give him a second chance.

Well Chris Charlie Duncan never called. And I never gave him another chance. And that was another promise broken.

So yeah, I hated Chris Charlie Duncan, and rightfully so. And right now I hated all of my ex-boyfriends. And right now I hated myself, because I was hating so much. Love was the opposite of hate and I was always taught to be a lover. But right now love had screwed me over so hatred was all I had to work with.

To my ex-boyfriends. I hate you all.

XOXO,

Tess.


	9. Can Destiny & Love Survive Death

In bright August, I was doing what any hot Daughter of Aphrodite would be doing; I strutted around camp in a sequin bikini. My platinum hair was up in a perfect curly ponytail and my toes matched the light yellow of my bikini. My white shorts with the sparkly jean pockets reflected sunlight as I walked around in the 90-degree sun. I was enjoying my summer, or trying to. It was my first summer without Luke there to sneak out of camp with. But to be honest, Luke was less and less on my mind lately. I had a camp to run, a reputation to uphold, and an immortal life to live.

I felt a quick pinch on my lower back to find Charlie behind me with a dangerous smirk. "What do you want?" I asked him, as if I was annoyed about the attention my almost naked body was getting. But lets be real here, I loved attention.

"For you to keep me company," he said back to me as he put his arms around my delicate side with a grin.

"I'm busy Charlie. You know being a sexy single girl is hard work and I don't need you here to bother me on my break," I said looking at him while I seductively bit my lip. Charlie was fun to toy with, give mixed messages.

"But I know just how to make your break worth while," he said back as he started to kiss my neck.

I giggled, "Charlie," I began to whine, "I need you to let me go!" I said in protest, moving my hands as if I was actually trying to pull him off of me. I wasn't.

Charlie shrugged, thought about it for a second, and then gave his answer. "Nope." He said with a smirk, before picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder.

"Charlie!" I said in protest, while in a fit of sexy giggles. Charlie chucked as he tickled my sides and walked me around camp. From the view I had it looked like we were heading towards his cabin, the Apollo Cabin. "Put me down! Charlie!" I complained while he jogged me around camp. He probably was getting looks of approval from his friends as we walked around. I didn't really mind though, I loved attention and this only drew more to me. Though I wasn't sure how I was feeling about Charlie's face so close to my butt.

The only thing that was weird for me about this, was the fact that I was flirting with Charlie. I loved him and all, but I had still been iffy about love lately. It was just that when it came to flirting with guys, I couldn't help myself. I just had to keep the line between flirting and relationships very clear. After Luke and Anti, I was going to be single for a little while.

"Char-lie! Charlie! Charlie Charlie Charlie!" I began in an attempt to annoy him as I giggled and went on repeating his name. Charlie decided a fair way to shut me up was to tickle me the more I yelled his name. So I yelled louder and was tickled harder until the tickling came to an abrupt stop. It was almost as if we hit something but I didn't feel anything. "Charlie?" I asked him in confusion, as he gently put me down. I came down looking at the worry in his face, before turning to match a face that held even more worry. It was my sister's.

"Aira? What's up?" I asked slowly. One thing about my older sister was that Aira was never worried. Aira didn't cry, she didn't get scared, she didn't worry. So her worried face alone probably scared Charlie into putting me down, and that scared me even more. Correction, if Aira was worried I was verge on terrified.

"It's Luke." She started cautiously. I froze. I wasn't sure how to take the mention of Luke. I tried to stop thinking about him all together, especially after what happened with Anti leaving me. I just stopped thinking about boys, and relationships. And therefore, Luke. I didn't know how to feel about him, and I didn't want my feelings to be wrong. So I just stopped feeling anything when Luke was mentioned, I was numb. But Aira bringing him up in this way told me for sure I wasn't aloud to just numb my feelings and ignore it.

"What about…Luke?" I managed, as my perfect skin paled. Even saying his name out loud was hard.

"Well, he never was the smartest guy" Aira mumbled, before refocusing on me. "Zander just called me from the Underworld. Luke's got himself in a bit of trouble."

I was about to say something, and then I didn't. Zander was our friend, another one of my half-brothers. He was a god in training, child of Hades and Aphrodite. I was actually disappointed we were related, because if not I would definitely, for sure date him. But the unrealistic relationship with my half-brother was not my main concern right now.

But Luke in trouble made me want to puke. Thinking about Luke as someone still alive made me want to puke. Being dead was bad enough, but I couldn't bare the thought of him getting sent to the Fields of Punishment for whatever stupid thing he did. I mean he tried to take over the world, the range of dumb things he could potentially do was wide open. And if it was enough to make Hades upset, then it had to be bad.

Aira took my silence as a probe to go on. "He tried to sleep with Persephone, and now Hades is more than pissed off. There's a fight going on, and Luke's not winning. He needs us...Well actually," Aira smirked, "he needs my help, but you should come for moral support"

The jab about me not being needed was cute. I was no Aira at sword fighting, but my spot had moved up from 3 to 2 since Luke was gone. Still, Aira would always be better then me and if it came to a fight I was better off not getting in her way. But I almost wanted to cry, just taking in what she was saying. But then I wasn't sure if I was aloud to cry over something like this. My feelings about Luke all together were just messed up and confused. Now I was scared. I would have to face Luke again. And help him. I really didn't know how I was supposed to feel. Mom also forgot to send the 'What To Do When Your About To Save Your Dead Boyfriend' were a lot of manuals I was apparently missing.

"So you and me are going to go to the Underworld. And we're going to see Luke. And then we are going to try to fight his way out of eternal punishment?" I tried to confirm that I was thinking the same insane thought she was. My words were slow and choppy, and so unlike me. And by we fighting it _was_ going to be mostly Aira. Usually I would have something sarcastic to say about Luke, but I didn't.

Aira nodded, "Yeah and I would say we should go right about now. Before he gets killed... Again.." She said to me as Zander showed up from obviously shadow traveling. Zander had sexy black hair and big blue eyes. The eyes almost reminded me of Anti, but I snapped out of it. Zan was sexy in his own way. But he was my brother, and that stopped any relationship from ever happening. Ever. But even when he came up we both looked at each other, and held the glance for a split second. He looked like he wanted to wink, and I almost wanted to make a cute face. It was like our instinct to be attracted to anyone attractive.

"Yeah I guess your right. I'll just run and change," I said finally. I looked down at the sparkly number I was wearing and I was pretty sure this wasn't the outfit you wore when you were going to meet your dead boyfriend and help him fight a very angry god. Then again I wasn't sure if there was even an outfit for that.

"Nope, we gotta go right now" Zander said quickly grabbing Aira and I as he shadow traveled. His touch was cold, but to me it was normal.

And in a matter of seconds I was surrounded in complete darkness. I savored the seconds I had, when I couldn't hear or see anything. Where I wasn't alone but I wasn't with people. My seconds during shadow traveling were important, because I knew as soon as I saw the light again, I would have to face something. I would have to face the one who broke his promise. And I would really have to find out if our love died with him, or if he was still there for me. I wasn't sure, considering he tried to sleep with Persephone, but it was still a thought. I sent a quick prayer to my mom. Because if love was going to prove itself to me, it was now or never. I had to know if destiny and love could survive death.


	10. Infinity

If there was one thing that I had a love hate relationship with, it would be the dark. Sometimes it worked to your advantage, you couldn't see and they couldn't see. And if your crying they can't see your blotchy face and red eyes you desperately tried to cover in makeup. In the dark, things happen. Things that wouldn't be as fun in the light.

But then there was the hate side. When things were dark it really created an eerie setting, it was creepy. Dark things were deep and full of mixed hazy feelings. Darkness was like a mist that wrapped around your vision and suffocated your soul. Thats what it felt like being in hell.

We suddenly appeared, Zander's cold touch lingering on my arm. I instantly heard the metallic clang of metal hitting and my attention was averted to him. Luke. I gasped, stepping back against Zan's chest. I needed him for half-brotherly support, before I fell over. Luke was here, in front of me. Luke.

He looked mostly the same since I saw him last year, it had been a year. A year since I saw his face. A year since I touched him. A year since I looked at him. His sandy blonde hair looked a little singed, probably from Hades' fire. But his blue eyes still had fight in them, the same passion they did when he died.

"Stay here," Aira warning words echoed as she left to go save my dead ex-boyfriend's life. I knew I wouldn't of been much help, but if I had really wanted to help I could've. But I couldn't, I didn't know how to move I was frozen. Still in shock that me and Luke were only feet away.

Aira yelled, something along the lines of "I'm here to save your dead ass Luke!" as she interrupted his losing battle with the God of the Underworld. Her sword clanged against Hades' staff as Luke attempted to stab Hades in the foot. Why he went for the foot I couldn't figure out but I was still too shocked to think much of it.

Hade's took the foot stab more as something annoying then hindering, as he swung his his large staff at Luke's head, sending him flying back crashing into a large dark door. The girlfriend in me wanted to rush over to him, but the ex-girlfriend in me kept me spectating. Aira made a good doge, the staff almost blundering her own head. Somehow though, she had a got shot at Hades' chest, hitting it as ichor fell out. Hades fell right to his knee's swearing under his breath and looking up to my sister.

"Hey Hades, what have you been up to?" she sweetly taunted to the god.

Hades responded with a complimentary eye roll, "Protecting my wife from unruly ghosts...fighting little girls and losing...The usual." I smirked. Hades was always like that, and even know Aira just kicked his ass he still had a sense of humor in the situation.

Luke stood back up, walking over to us, but he did have a nasty lump on his head from the fight. "So...I do believe Tess has a few requests...but I'm personally done here. Have a good day." she turned to my half-brother, "Zander? Take me home?"

What? She couldn't just leave me here...leave me with Luke and Hades alone. I mean this just didn't look like a good situation to be in. Leaving your sister with her ex-boyfriend and the God of the Dead in hell. I really didn't want to be left alone here. But before I could turn to protest Zander and Aira had already turned into darkness and had shadow traveled away. Great.

I meekly looked to the man who I claimed I loved. And despite everything and all of the sh** I just went through the last year, I still loved him. I mean as much as I hated him from what happened, I loved him so so much. But I didn't want to attach myself because I knew I could be losing him in a few short minutes. I had to think of him as my ex. My ex boyfriend. He broke up with me. He killed himself.

But as soon as Luke and I had a moment to look at each other, we held each other's gaze. I looked at him, all gross from the fight and his attempt to sleep with Peresphone. He looked at me, in my sparkling bikini that reflected around the room. I probably looked the same like he remembered me, tall blonde skinny big boobs, but I knew I was a different person now. And if you looked hard at my face, it was plastered in fakeness so that I looked like the Tess I had always been. But you could see between the lines all of the pain I had chosen to ball up inside.

But Luke knew me better then anyone else, and it was like he could see right trough the expensive makeup. And he quickly walked to me, touching my face with his soft hands. Then he picked me up in a hug and twirling me around. We said nothing, and never let our lips touch. He gently set me down, and we just hugged for a moment. Counting seconds until we pulled away facing Hades who was smirking at us.

"Look at the lovebirds," He taunted, as we looked to each other, not even holding hands. We were still yet to speak any words, I didn't know what to say to him. I couldn't put in words how I felt right now, but my stomach was sinking like quicksand and the more I tried to fight the feelings the more it pulled me in.

"Shut up Hades," Luke said back with an eye roll sharply, crossing his arms.

Hade's eyes glimmered in a mix of amusement and hatred. "Watch it loverboy your lucky Aira was here to save your ass but she's not here anymore." he said sharply back. "So what's this Aira said about requests?" he asked turning to face me.

I bit my lip, hoping the makeup was staying on. Hoping Hades couldn't see right through me like Luke had. Luke reached for my hand, sending sparking up through my arms and to my body. He knew. He knew how broken I was, he knew something was off about me. He knew something in the past year had changed me.

I inhaled, exhaled. Then I mustered the most charming smile I could and faced Hades. "Well I want to ask you about Luke?"

Hades smirked, walking backwards until he was leaning against a black detailed pillar. He looked me up and down, and somehow I wasn't amused when he stared at my chest. But this was what I got for wearing nothing but a bikini to the Underworld. "Ok, shoot. This will be interesting."

I let go of Luke's hand quickly, I wouldn't get attached. I wouldn't. Because if Hades wouldn't listen then I would lose him again. "Luke tried to sleep with your wife right?" I asked him for a start.

"Yes you know the story," he said back with lack of interest.

"So it's safe to say you hate him?" I shrugged.

Hades snickered, "I hated your boyfriend before he came here, he stole my Helm of Darkness years ago. Trying to sleep with my wife just made it worse," he said to me, taking a long piercing glare to Luke. Luke stood his ground with a confident smirk, and I subtly hit Luke in the back hopefully so he got the message to stop acting like an ass.

"I'm just saying, I have an idea that means you never have to deal with him again," I started slowly.

Hade's smirked, "The only way I'll never see your boytoy again is if he never dies." He said back to me crossing his arms

I sighed, then I smirked because that was something I used to do, "Luke was a hero, he did save everyone. Without him Kronos would've taken over." I admitted, but it was hard to say out loud with both of their eyes carefully watching me. I used to love the attention, but my mind was screaming don't look at me.

"If you make him immortal, your repaying him for the sacrifice he made. And you never have to see him again." I knew it was a far fetch, gods usually didn't make people immortal. But I had to try, and I usually got what I wanted.

Hades considered it, his dark eyes gleaming. I couldn't tell if the were in amusement, anger, consideration. "Ok. I never have to deal with this jackass boyfriend of yours if I make him immortal. He'll never come to the underworld ever again, never touch my wife, never steal my stuff?"

Luke clenched his jaw, I could tell he wasn't a fan of all of the names Hades had fired at him. But I gave him a sharp look that told him to keep his mouth shut and let me talk. Hades looked to Luke amused, daring him to say something.

"Yes. He'll never bother you anymore." I said to Hades quickly, before Luke lost it. That was the thing, gods could grant immortality. Now I would've done it if I could, but I didn't know if cadets could. And if we could I had a feeling Zeus would rather keep us guessing.

Hades sighed, "I feel like I'll regret this, but I'm in no mood to argue. So just go." he said to us shaking his head. He turned to leave, not before giving me one last smirk. Then the giant black gate that I guess was a door was opened and Hades walked out, not looking back. I paused, Hades just left. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be celebrating a win or not. He just left us, thats it. I looked to Luke, who looked no different. We exchanged matching confused glances, wondering why he left and how we were to leave. I guess we were leaving. I looked in Hades' path, and he had left two tiny glowing pearls where he once was standing.

The two of us, still not talking or touching, walked over, and tentatively picked them up. I shrugged, not sure if this was what we were supposed to do or not, but at the same time we gently placed them back on the ground, under our feet, and crushed them. We were consumed in darkness, and smoke. Darkness wrapped itself around me, as I breathed it in, breathed it out. The little puffs intoxicating my senses. I tightened around me like a too hot blanket, and unraveled itself in an unsettling cackle. This was why few people escaped hell.

Light met my eyes, my pupils regaining normal size. The temperature regained normality, and my body went to feeling as normally cold as it did. I looked to Luke, who looked back to me. We were standing right on Half-Blood hill, where we had stood years before in our arrival to camp. I mean it was a little different we were being chased by some monster sent from the underworld, but the sentimental value was there. This was where the next phase of our lives had begun, where we had all made the choice to go separate ways. And on lucky days where stars were lined, we would occasionally cross paths. A place where a friend was lost, and a friend had come back. This was a place for beginnings and ends.

I kept staring at him, because I had to make sure he was real. That he was really there. And Luke kept looking at me, but I knew he was searching my eyes for what was killing me. Because anyone who knew me knew that I wasn't the same. I still wasn't sure what I was feeling, because I was just realising for a moment, that I was going to be able to keep him. And if I could keep him...then that would mean a lot. That would mean Luke was back from the dead, back forever. And him being back was the only gift I had ever wanted. And he had...promised he would make it up to me. My thoughts were interrupted by my waist being grabbed and lips forced on mine.

His lips touched mine, in a way they hadn't felt before. Maybe that's how they had always felt, it had been forever since I had been in his arms. His hands slipped in the jean pockets of the short shorts I was snuggly fitted in. My lips went to his face, just to touch him. Just to feel his skin. It was real. He was really here, and alive. It was Luke. The kisses tasted of sorrow, of need, of passion. They were not sweet, more sharp. They hit my senses, sending messages to my brain in 500 directions on what I was feeling. The kisses tasted of resentment. He had left me, for the worst year of my life. He broke my heart. He shattered it into pieces. But the kisses tasted of love, because I still loved him. Even if I didn't want to anymore, and hated myself for it, I still loved him, And now, I would be able to love him forever.

"I missed you, I thought of you every day," Luke said into my hair, moving his arms up my sides and out of my jeans. My arms slid down to his shoulders. They were still muscular, toned, strong, protective.

"Hmmm tell me more," I whispered back, that was all I said to him. I just needed to breathe.

Luke moved kissing my neck, "I pictured you, your face. Your laugh. Your touch. Everything." he said between kisses as we moved kissing deeper. I felt his feet go backwards so I followed forwards.

"What else?" I whispered to him urgently, I just needed to here his voice. I needed to here him talk to me.

"Everything about you, every second of every day. Hell is hell, there's hot girls there but their not you. Persephone couldn't hold a candle." He said even more with a smirk, kissing down to my collarbone.

I raised a plucked eyebrow, his eyes were glittering with desperation. Something they hadn't ever looked like. Only once had they been that desperate, right before he died. That night they were so blue, so sad, so in pain.

_"Tess, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry what I did, but I had to do this Tess. Deep down I hope you can forgive me." _

I almost started shaking, I hadn't been able to relive that since almost a year ago. "Say something else to me, tell me something," I said quickly, I needed him to distract me from the memories. I wasn't strong enough to relive them again. I started to run my fingers urgently trough his unkept hair, I missed doing that.

Luke kissed me deeper, faster, harder. I started to forget. I forgot my name, where we were. "I had a lot of time to think, about us. About how stupid I am. How important you are to me." he said between a kiss, before he fell backwards and I fell onto him. Luke rolled me over, so he was on top putting his hands on the ground beside me holding himself up. Looking over me he bent down to kiss me, back on the lips, and softer. These kisses were light, airy, sweet. Luke stopped, planting on kiss on my nose. The first time he ever kissed me was on my nose.

_"I love you Tess...I always have and I always do. Please don't be mad at me. And I promise I will make it up to you one day." He whispered to me, and I think I saw a few tears as he watched me cry into his chest again for a moment. Another moment I wouldn't get back._

"I'm so sorry. For dying, for the stupid war, for leaving you. For not telling you. Look I never wanted to leave you and you know that." he said to me seriously.

"I...I know" was pathetically all I could quietly say back.

"And I promised I would make it up to you didn't I?" He said to me looking at me with a raised eyebrow. All I could do now was nod my head looking up at him. "And you trust me?"

Yes? No? I don't know? I don't know anything anymore. Luke sighed, and looked down at me seriously again. "Listen to me, Tess look at me." he said peering down making sure I was looking, "I love you. I did before I died and I still do. I promised I would make it up, and now I'm back. I know your upset, you can be upset. But I want you to know I'm still here for you. I never forgot you."

I paused, taking a breath. Then I did what any girl would do after a guy said that to them. I leaned my body up, and met my lips to his. "I love you," I said to him quietly, before kissing him again. And again and again. Luke picked me up, bridal style, our lips never unlocking. There was secrets between them, and only the two of us held the key to break our lips. Neither of us would break it.

I swore a year ago, I never wanted to hear the word promise ever again. I said that all promises were lies. But maybe, I just needed to learn to trust. Trust. I had been hurt by love, battered down by fate, and I still held a grudge. But there was no way I would never love again. I couldn't keep myself from him, from us. Luke promised that he would be there for me. He promised to make it up. Love was not a lie, it was just a journey. Fairytale endings were only for the ones who believed in them. I was broken, and Luke was going to get my heart back together.

I'm sorry I didn't trust you

I'm sorry I didn't listen to you

I'm sorry I let the war happen

I'm sorry I gave you the ok

I'm sorry I blamed you for saving everyone

I'm sorry I gave up on love

But your back, and now that you are. I promise, that I will never leave you again. I'll trust you, I'll listen to you. I'll only support your good choices. I won't blame you for things I did, or things you did. I won't resent you, I won't give up. I promise, now that I'll be able to spend forever with you, that I'll hold up my side. Fights, cheating, people. Death. Nothing will break us anymore. Count as high as you can, for as long as you can. But we'll be longer then that, higher then that, stronger then that. The highest number you can get to is infinity, and our love will be just that. Infinite.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed Promises. I had a ton of fun writing it. Anyways I'm not sure what I will write about Tess from on now but I think I will post another story in the future. In the meantime you can read my poem Locked, that takes place right after this ends. Anyways thanks for reading to the end. I hope you loved it. You can also check out my other story Promises about another OC Blake, if you llke this I think you'll like it. its less sad. Please leave a review. Tell me if you like this, and I'll post the sequel.

~xoxo Queenbee19


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